Visy Recycling 

Getting Candidates and Voters to ‘Vote 1 Recycling’

Challenge

To create a dialogue around recycling as a greenhouse gas reduction strategy with Federal candidates and voters during the 2007 Federal Election.  This was at a time when political conservations were crowded by issues and groups trying to gain status on the election agenda.

Insight

During an election, a variety of issues from all kinds of sources come out of the wood work, with groups trying to raise awareness of their interests and causes.  This crowded environment means that it can be a battle to get candidates to focus on the issues you want them to during an election campaign. Therefore, effective positioning is essential to gain an issue a place in minds of candidates and the election debate.

Solution

By utilising on-line and other digital technology, Parker & Partners developed a campaign that made the issue of recycling accessible and easy for candidates and voters alike. We developed the Vote1Recycling website, where candidates and voters were encouraged to go to pledge their commitment to recycle election material and their dedication to recycling as a way to help Australians reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Candidates were emailed an invitation to pledge their support and again reminded through SMS messages of the issue.  Voters were driven to the site through media coverage of the campaign. As added fuel to the political discussion, the current Environment Minister and the Opposition Environment Minister had Vote1Recycling bins and briefing material delivered to their electorate offices, with images distributed to media and utilised on the website.

Result

This campaign saw hundreds of voters and candidates pledging their commitment to recycling election material and acknowledging recycling as an important environmental strategy. Importantly, the campaign initiated a dialogue with both major parties concerning the merits of recycling as a greenhouse gas reduction strategy.