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Project Overview
The World Phone Amnesty, launched by Kingfisher at SXSW Sydney, is a global campaign aimed at reducing e-waste and promoting sustainable mobile phone ownership. Central to the initiative is a 90-second animated film and an immersive web platform, both designed to engage and educate users on the benefits of extending the life of their devices. The film and web platform illustrate how handing in old phones when buying new ones can significantly reduce carbon emissions and support a circular economy. This campaign seeks to inspire a global shift in consumer behavior towards more sustainable phone usage.
The World Phone Amnesty campaign was officially launched at a dedicated panel event during SXSW Sydney, where Kingfisher led discussions on sustainability in the mobile industry. The panel highlighted the pressing issue of e-waste, with 5.3 billion phones discarded annually, and introduced the campaign’s innovative approach to promoting a circular economy. Attendees were introduced to a 90-second animated film and an immersive web platform, both central to the initiative, which aim to educate and inspire consumers to extend the life of their devices through responsible phone ownership.
Team
VANDAL Managing Director: Brenden Johnson Executive Producer: Anna Greensmith Producer: Laura Tenison Creative Director: Chris Scott Lead Motion Designer: Jimmy Buckle Motion Designer: Pete Nizic 3D Designer: Will McNamara Senior Sound Designer: Nigel Crowley Production Assistant/Editor: Phillip Muzzall Director of Technology: Sarthak Sachdeva Senior Developer: Nicholas Tsaoucis UI Designer/Developer: Louis Smith Rethink Everything Managing Partner & CCO: Mike Spirkovski Partner & Strategic Comms: Vanessa Liell Art Director: Flavio Fonseca Copywriter: Mike Burdick Art Director: Guy Collins Brand Designer: Brad Walker Account Director: Jennifer Greatrex
Project Brief
The project brief for the World Phone Amnesty was to create a global campaign that would transform consumer behavior around mobile phone ownership, addressing the escalating issue of e-waste. With 5.3 billion phones discarded annually, Kingfisher aimed to promote a circular economy model by encouraging consumers to hand in their old phones when purchasing new ones. The goal was to extend the lifespan of mobile devices, reduce carbon emissions, and mitigate the environmental impact of phone production.
To achieve these objectives, the brief called for the creation of two key campaign elements: a 90-second animated film and an immersive web platform. The film needed to communicate the environmental consequences of mobile phone waste while offering a clear, actionable solution. The film drove to a web platform which was designed to be more than just an informational resource; it was a functional tool that allowed users to quantify the value of their current phone, both environmentally and financially, and then trade in that phone directly through the site. This feature made it easy for users to participate in the circular economy by giving their phones a second life, thereby contributing to the reduction of e-waste.
The campaign was launched at SXSW Sydney, integrating the event into the broader strategy to maximize exposure and encourage global adoption of more sustainable mobile phone practices.
Project Innovation/Need
The World Phone Amnesty introduces a pioneering approach to mobile phone ownership, combining innovation in form and function to deliver meaningful outcomes for both consumers and the environment. Central to this initiative is an immersive web platform that not only facilitates the trade-in of old phones but also allows users to quantify the environmental impact of their actions. This unique feature enables consumers to see, in real terms, how handing in their phone contributes to reducing carbon emissions and e-waste, making the environmental benefits of their choices tangible and immediate.
The platform’s functionality simplifies participation in the circular economy, removing traditional barriers to recycling and reuse. By providing an easy and accessible way for users to extend the life of their devices, the campaign encourages widespread adoption of sustainable behaviors.
Additionally, the campaign is supported by a 90-second animated film that effectively communicates the urgent need to rethink mobile phone ownership. The film’s compelling visual narrative engages a broad audience, highlighting the environmental consequences of discarded phones and the significant benefits of reuse.
The outcomes of the World Phone Amnesty are far-reaching. By promoting phone trade-ins and demonstrating the environmental impact, the campaign not only helps reduce e-waste but also significantly lowers the carbon footprint associated with producing new devices. This initiative sets a new standard in the mobile industry, integrating sustainability into the consumer experience in a powerful and practical way.
Design Challenge
The design challenge for the World Phone Amnesty campaign centered on the need to communicate a complex and urgent issue—e-waste and its environmental impact—through simple, accessible means. The campaign’s goal was to not only inform but also inspire action, prompting consumers to change their behavior and embrace more sustainable practices. Achieving this required the creation of both a 90-second animated film and an immersive web platform that could distill the intricacies of the circular economy into clear, impactful messaging.
The film had to be concise yet powerful, capable of engaging a broad audience with diverse levels of understanding about environmental issues. It needed to convey the environmental consequences of discarding mobile phones and the significant benefits of extending their lifespan, all within a brief, visually compelling narrative. The challenge was to balance simplicity with depth, ensuring that viewers could grasp the broader impact of their individual choices without feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the issue.
Similarly, the web platform needed to be intuitive and user-friendly, guiding consumers through the process of trading in their old phones while also helping them understand the environmental impact of their actions. By quantifying the benefits of extending a phone’s life, the platform made the abstract concept of the circular economy tangible, empowering users to make more informed and sustainable decisions.
Future Impact
The World Phone Amnesty campaign achieved significant outcomes, successfully raising awareness about sustainable mobile phone ownership and the importance of reducing e-waste. One of the key results of the campaign was its extensive media coverage, with the initiative being featured in over 120 media outlets globally. This widespread coverage helped amplify the campaign’s message, reaching a broad and diverse audience.
The campaign’s reach was remarkable, with an estimated audience of over 125 million people. This broad exposure was instrumental in driving home the importance of the circular economy in mobile phone usage, encouraging consumers to rethink their behavior and embrace more sustainable practices. The campaign also generated an impressive earned media value of over $1.2 million, underscoring its impact and the strong public interest it garnered.
On social media, the campaign resonated with a wide audience, achieving a social reach of over 2.5 million. This digital engagement was critical in spreading the campaign’s message, particularly among younger, tech-savvy consumers who are often early adopters of new technologies and behaviors.
Overall, the campaign’s outcomes demonstrated its success in both raising awareness and driving tangible change in consumer behavior, positioning the World Phone Amnesty as a pivotal movement in the global effort to reduce e-waste and promote sustainable mobile phone ownership.
Better Future - Circular Economy
Projects that expand and grow the use of circular economy principles.
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