Last summer, Malmö took the world by surprise when it launched the 'Snacka Snusk' campaign to combat littering. With its unconventional methods and instant social media attention, the campaign became a sensation. Now it has even won a silver award at The One Show in New York, one of the most prestigious advertising competitions in the world. Let's dive deeper into this groundbreaking campaign and its success.
Sensational ways to engage
'Snacka Snusk' took Malmö by storm by using unexpected strategies to draw attention to the issue of littering. With talking bins using sensual voices, audio drama and a phone line, the campaign created a strong organic spread on social media. The result? A reach of over 563 million people worldwide.
Malmö as an epicenter for innovative management of litter.
Malmö's bold and unconventional approach to combating littering caught the eyes of the world. By installing talking bins that attracted litterers while demonstrating the unattractiveness of the behavior, the city made headlines in over 140 international media outlets. From South Africa to Japan, Mexico to Dubai, Thailand to Australia, Malmö's creative approach to littering became a global inspiration.
Behavioural psychology as a key component
To understand and influence the behavior of litterers, the City of Malmö turned to behavioral psychology. Instead of relying on traditional methods such as fines or reprimands, the Snacka Snusk campaign used immediate emotional rewards. By creating fun and surprising experiences for litterers, it stimulated strong emotions and easy behavioral change. Researchers and psychologists praised the method for eliciting engagement and turning a trivial act into a memorable event.
The success is spreading all over the world
What started as a local issue in Malmö quickly became a global story. The news of the talking bins from Bigbelly spread like wildfire and was picked up by international media such as CNN, The Times and BBC News Hour. On social media sites such as Reddit, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the issue of littering was widely discussed, resulting in an organic reach of 563 million people. The campaign led to a 398% increase in the use of the talking bins in Malmö, and hundreds of people interacted with the Snacka Snusk number and campaign content on TikTok.
This resulted in an organic reach of 563 million people. The campaign led to a 398% increase in the use of the talking bins in Malmö.
A triumph in the world of advertising
The crowning glory came when the City of Malmö and advertising agency BBDO Nordics were awarded silver at The One Show in New York. The campaign was recognized for its innovative and immersive outdoor advertising. Competing with giants such as Google, Apple and Dell demonstrates the campaign's exceptional success and its influence across the advertising, design and digital marketing fields.
The 'Talk Dirty' campaign became a sensation with its groundbreaking approach and global impact. The City of Malmö showed that there are no limits to engaging and changing behavior when it comes to fighting litter. With its talking bins and innovative strategies, Malmö has become a model for cities around the world struggling with the same problem. It's an inspiring story of how a bold campaign can change norms and make the world cleaner and more beautiful.
