Cleanaway taps alt/shift/ for ‘A Throwaway Decision’ safety campaign

Australia’s largest waste management company, Cleanaway, has partnered with creative communications agency alt/shift/ for A Throwaway Decision – a safety campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of putting batteries in household bins. 

Starting in the aftermath of a fire on a peaceful residential street, the hero film retraces the journey of a child’s broken toy robot as it moves from the living room to a kerbside bin, finally landing in a garbage truck, where the fire erupts.

The endline reads: “A throwaway decision can have serious consequences. Never bin your batteries.”

Anna Fullerton, group creative director at alt/shift/, described the creative as something broad audiences can relate to. 

“We’ve chosen to start with the impact moment of a fire and lead up to the small, throwaway decision that led to such an aftermath,” she said.

“As the story unravels, we see a child’s battery-operated robot is the mainstay in our content, juxtaposing the innocence of a toy with something so dangerous.” 

The Throwaway Decision campaign launches alongside Cleanaway’s annual Recycling Behaviours Report, which delves into the attitudes and actions of Australians when it comes to recycling. It marks the fourth year Cleanaway has engaged alt/shift/ to co-produce the report. 

The study found 45% of Australians don’t know where to properly dispose of batteries. A third aren’t aware fires can start as a result of incorrect disposal practise.

Up to three fires per day occur as a result of incorrect battery disposal.

Jacquelyn Whelan, national marketing manager at Cleanaway, noted that “with the alarming rate of these battery-related fires, it’s integral for us to deliver a message that educates people on the potential consequences of incorrectly disposing of batteries.

“We all have a role to play in helping prevent fires and the solution is really simple – keep batteries and rechargeable devices out of our bins.”

Last month, Queensland’s largest builder and developer brand, Ausbuild, tapped alt/shift/ to handle its creative, PR, content and social account.

See also: alt/shift/ Brisbane wins Ausbuild account