Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has launched a new campaign centred around a digital out-of-home special build that helps smokers responsibly dispose of their cigarette butts.
Created in partnership with London agency VCCP, the so-called ‘Butt Boxes’ were developed following research by the charity that indicated the number one reason smokers give for dropping cigarette butts is that they are unable to find a bin.
Building on previous works aimed at curbing the scourge of cigarette butt litter in the UK, this latest push aims to educate people on the scale of the problem and encourage smokers to dispose of their butts properly.
“Cigarette butts are the country’s – and the world’s – most widespread litter problem with billions being thrown on the ground or dropped down drains every year. As a charity, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to engage the public and encourage them to do the right thing when it comes to litter and that is why we are so excited to see how the public reacts to our latest campaign,” Keep Britain Tidy CEO, Alison Ogden-Newton OBE said.
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest marketing news sent straight to your inbox each morning
“We know that smokers need a solution for those times when they have finished a cigarette but there is no bin nearby. A portable ashtray is the perfect solution and we want to see it become the norm for everyone who smokes to carry one.”
Anchored by a 60-second that illustrates how the butt boxes work, smoking members of the public are seen reacting positively to the idea – which helps them seals off their butts in a small container before being able to safely put them in the bin.
VCCP creative director, Frances Leach added: “Cigarette butts are, quite frankly, rubbish. In fact we drop more pesky butts in the streets than any other item. So Keep Britain Tidy are distributing personal ashtrays to get people to box their butts rather than ditching them on the pavement. It’s such a neat solution, we needed to get people using them.
“We’re not here to tell anyone off, as this is just going to alienate our audience, so we felt the best way to tell people about our Butt Box and show it in action was humour. So Drake, our campaign mascot, is back. And this time he’s here to offer people who smoke an easy solution to avoid dropping their cigarette butts and ensure streets are cleaner and there are fewer angry ducks waddling about the place.”
