Tauranga City Councilâs (TCC) Food Scraps campaign aimed to increase usage of the cityâs food scraps curbside collection service, driving behaviour change to meet ambitious zero-waste targets. With current uptake at 45%, the campaign sought to inspire a 5% increase in regular users while addressing key barriers like convenience, smell, and awareness. I designed a creative direction for this campaign, based on image-based creative to simplify complex messages, cut through the noise and excuses to barriers, and aimed at the diverse audience of Tauranga.
Food Scraps campaign here creative messaging. Designed to cut to the chase, be bold, be confrontational and be the driver of behaviour change.
THEÂ CHALLENGE
Despite wide access to the food scraps service, many residents either underutilised it or stopped altogether, citing barriers such as smell and pests. The primary challenge was to re-engage these groupsâparticularly those who disposed of food scraps in rubbish bins or down the sink and insinkeratorâby shifting perceptions and encouraging consistent use of the curbside food scraps collection. The campaign needed to highlight environmental benefits and establish food scraps recycling as a social norm without appearing overly preachy or complicated.
Food Scraps campaign print or digital creative on local bus stops.
Food Scraps campaign digital creative in busy and bustling environments such as shopping malls and airports.
THEÂ Solution
Inspired by the success of image-heavy zero-waste initiatives like those in New York, my approach prioritised clarity and emotional connection. I proposed a bold, image-driven campaign featuring recognisable food visuals in a clean, stripped-back style. By focusing on imagery, the campaign effectively illustrated what food scraps can be composted, paired with short, direct messaging that addressed current behaviours. This eliminated the need for lengthy explanations, making the content universally accessible while maximising engagement across digital, print, and multimedia.
Food Scraps digital creative concept
Food Scraps campaign alternative graphics for versatility and future use
THEÂ OUTCOME
Although this campaign remained a proposed creative direction, it demonstrated the potential to tackle key barriers to food scraps recycling through bold, image-driven visuals and simple, clear messaging. The approach highlighted how clean, relatable design could resonate across diverse audiences, maximise engagement, and inspire behaviour change. It set a strong precedent for future campaigns addressing zero-waste goals, providing a creative blueprint aligned with global best practices while remaining approachable and impactful.
