Cofarma: REUSE

Credits & Description:

Category: Corporate Responsibility

Advertiser: COFARMA

Product/Service: PLASTIGEL

Agency: McCANN ERICKSON COSTA RICA

General Creative Director: Manuel Travisany (McCann San José)

Art Director: Carlos Redondo (McCann San José)

Public-Relations: Marta Rosa Cardoso (Veritas PR)

Producer: Tomás Jankovich (McCann San José)

Regional President: Max Gutierrez (McCann San José)

President: Gustavo Vallespi (McCann San José)

Account Manager: Rebeca Barzuna (McCann San José)

Post Producer: Omar Moreno (McCann San José)

Designer: Maia Livov (McCann San José)

Designer: María Fernanda Chavarria (McCann San José)

Film Director: Mario Cardona (Zen)

Film Director: Marlon Villar (Zen)

Copywriter: David Carvajal (McCann San José)

Media placement: Partnering With The University - VeritasUniversity - March 2011

Media placement: Ambient - VeritasUniversity - May 2011

Media placement: Design Students Results - VeritasUniversity - June 2011

Media placement: Plastigel Labels Impresion - Plastigel Packaging - June 2011

Media placement: Press Conference - VeritasUniversity - August 2011

Media placement: 30-Second TV Spot - TV - August 2011



Summary of the Campaign

The project developed for Plastigel approached the issue of waste generated by the product’s package after its use. The brand, as a market leader, was oriented to innovate in the industry beyond its category. This innovation in the industry was achieved through a solution model based on a harmony of contributions and benefits for companies, the academic world and consumers.



The model was focused on taking re-utilisation ideas for the Plastigel Package to the hands of the consumers. To do this, they included 4 icons in the product’s label design, representing re-utilisation ideas for the package and also offering the following invitation: “Before recycle, reuse. Find out more about these and other ideas at whatdoIdowiththis.org/plastigel”. On this site consumers can see in detail the suggested designs and many others, and also the website offers the possibility to upload and share their own re-utilisation ideas and join the project.



An alliance with a local university (Universidad Veritas) was made. The design students developed re-utilisation ideas that were later printed on the package’s label.



Plastigel provided a standard for waste management in the industry through a model that today has been replicated by 6 new brands. The university has added the project to its career curriculum giving continuity to the contribution of reutilization ideas.



Concept development with harmony between companies, the academic world and consumers.



The Situation

The project was created for Plastigel, a brand of the Coforma Group, a company with more than 40 years in the market and leader in the category of hair fixation products.



A need was detected to generate a communication effort in order to neutralise the negative association related to the issue of waste management, waste generated by used packages of their products have a big impact in the industry.

Plastigel, as a brand leader in the market, must set the innovation standards for the industry, and in this case, in a very sensitive matter as the waste management.



The Goal

Generate a good reputation for the brand - through the innovation in a very sensitive matter: waste management.



- Point to a solution from a re-utilisation perspective before recycling.



- To acknowledge the lack of ideas as the main barrier for regular basis re-utilisation.



- Innovate through a simple solution for consumers and feasible for our client. Plastigel is used with a higher incidence in the younger segment, who perceive Plastigel as an ally of their image. This defines an emotional component related to the brand.



- The observation of Costa Rican industries. Analysis of their packaging as a solution in waste management.



The Strategy

Elaborate a model, with contributions and benefits for all the involved parties, a model oriented to bring re-utilszation ideas for Plastigel packages to the hands of the consumers. To achieve this, they included in the product’s label a design with 4 icons representing re-utilisation ideas for the package and also offering the following invitation: “Before recycle, reuse. Find out more about these and other ideas at whatdoIdowiththis.org/plastigel”. In this site consumers can see in detail the suggested designs and many others, and also the website offers the possibility to upload and share their own re-utilisation ideas and join the project.



Execution

The plan was lauched from San José, Costa Rica, from March 2011 until today.



1. An alliance with a local university was made in order to develop re-utilisation ideas.

2. 200 empty packages of Plastigel were given to the university.

3. The re-utilisation ideas were selected.

4. In nearly 4 weeks the packages had new printed labels.

5. The campaign was launched at a press conference at the University of Veritas.

6. A design teacher and the vocalist of an important music band became the spokesmen.

7. Plastigel placed a 20-second commercial on television.

8. The university included the project into its career curriculum.





Tactics: The use of the product’s label, a website to interact, and a commercial to spread this innovation.



The model had changes that broadened its initial reach. Today, other brands have joined.



Documented Results

- It places Plastigel as a brand that sets the standard in the industry, beyond its category, taking a position of advantage towards an industry that generates less waste.

- More than 3,000,000 packages with re-utilisation ideas have been placed in the hands of the consumers.



- A replicable model to promote re-utilisation was developed and implemented. Today, 6 new brands have been added to this project.



- The use of the product’s label to promote the re-utilisation has become a milestone of innovation inside Costa Rica and abroad.



- The project has been mentioned on the world’s most important innovation and sustainability media.



- A community response was given through the contribution of re-utilisation ideas for the brands that are part of the project. An average of 20 ideas are uploaded monthly.



- Veritas University joined the project as a change agent, including re-utilisation in its career curriculum.