Take Charge – Battery Recycling Campaign

Environmental Services Association

Client

Environmental Services Association

Project

Take Charge – Join the fight against zombie batteries

Services

Branding
Design
Digital
Marketing
Social Media

Specialism

Infrastructure​, Regeneration and Energy
Membership Organisations and Regulatory Bodies​

Date

October – November 2022

The Brief

After the success of phase one of the Take Charge battery recycling campaign, DTW joined forces again with partner agency Different Bears to create a second phase of the public awareness campaign for the Environmental Services Association (ESA). 

The campaign was aimed to help reduce the 700 fires that occur annually at recycling and waste facilities across the UK resulting from carelessly discarded batteries. We developed a creative approach, website and digital assets for the campaign that launched in the autumn of 2022. 

The campaign creative and messaging targeted younger people (under 35) to join the fight against ‘zombie’ batteries by raising awareness of battery fires and the importance of recycling batteries or electrical items containing batteries properly. 

Our Work

At the outset of the campaign, we started by developing a ghoulish creative concept to tie in with Halloween. Inviting the public to join the national fight against dangerous zombie batteries that come back from the dead, by recycling batteries responsibly. 

Our design studio started by creating visuals for the campaign around a horror Halloween theme, with high-impact graphics to capture the attention of a younger audience by looking like a movie poster. 

This tied in with the idea, which was also used in phase one, that used batteries are often referred to as ‘dead’ and those batteries can be dangerous even after they have died but that can continue to be dangerous – much like zombies.

The campaign was also used to highlight which household items contain lithium-ion batteries, which are the most improperly disposed of. These can be found in items like electric toothbrushes and razors, mobile phones, vapes and laptops.

Campaign delivery included digital and video content published across social media and a Toolkit for organisations to download from the Take Charge campaign website, adaptable to their own needs.

The toolkit included editable A3 and A5 posters, PowerPoint templates for AV screens in public areas as well as social media content, graphics and raw campaign assets for supporters to use to make their own Take Charge collateral e.g. website banners, bin stickers and bin hangers – some created physical signage at Household Waste Recycling Centres and other public spaces.

Results

The campaign launched just before Halloween 2022 and achieved national coverage on BBC and GB News as well as key recycling trade media including Resource, circulate, mrw, letsrecycle.com and skip hire magazine. This contributed to over 2,000 sessions on the campaign website and over 4,500 views over Halloween. 

Across social media, sharing content by partners and through the campaign’s main channels paid advertising campaigns on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter reached over 400,000 people and generated 14,000 clicks. Overall, 248 organisations downloaded the Supporter Toolkit including local authorities, recycling and waste management businesses and regional fire and rescue services. 

248

ORGANISATIONS DOWNLOADED THE TOOLKIT

Simple key line graphic of an eye
420,000

PEOPLE REACHED THROUGH PAID ADVERTISING

Graphic of a simple globe with an arrow over the top
2,227

UNIQUE VISITORS TO CAMPAIGN WEBSITE

image of case study
image of case study
image of case study