Following yesterday's announcement by WRAP – the Waste and Resources Action Programme – that the UK's national waste awareness campaign is to be replaced in June 2004 (see letsrecycle.com story), Rethink Rubbish has moved to allay concerns of local authorities and retailers running its branded campaigns.
In a statement issued today, the campaign managers Waste Watch and SWAP said that although funding for Rethink Rubbish will not continue beyond March 31, 2004, the support will be there for existing stakeholders.
”We will work hard to ensure that this momentum is continued.“
– Gareth Morton, Rethink Rubbish
Briefings
A series of three briefing events will be held in March – in London on March 23, Birmingham on March 25 and Leeds on March 26 – to outline the results of the WRAP-funded research that found the Rethink Rubbish campaign did not achieve consumer “cut through”.
Gareth Morton, the Rethink Rubbish campaign director, said: “The cornerstone of our strategy was to focus on building support for the campaign with local authority and waste sector stakeholders and providing resources to help local authorities carry out waste awareness activities.
“WRAP recognises that this will be a major legacy of Rethink Rubbish and we will work hard to ensure that this momentum is continued,” he added.
 Rethink Rubbish achieved 4.3m worth of press with celebrities like Nell McAndrew |
Support
Today's full statement from Rethink Rubbish came with an official thank you to its stakeholders for their support over the past two years. The campaign has received funding from a variety of organisations including Biffaward, Alcan, British Glass, Corus, EMR, Tesco and Asda.
Rethink Rubbish achieved widespread media coverage worth an estimated 4.3 million with the help of over 20 celebrity patrons and supporters including Sian Lloyd, Graham Norton, Michaela Strachan and this year's Christmas card recycling campaign with Nell McAndrew (see letsrecycle.com story). Over 300 local authorities and retailers used the Rethink Rubbish brand to promote waste awareness.
Ray Georgeson, WRAP's director of policy and communications, said: “Rethink Rubbish achieved significant results with limited funding and within short timescales. These successes and the lessons learnt will be used as the foundations for the development of future waste awareness campaigns.”
”My concern is that hundreds of local authorities have invested time and money in using the Rethink Rubbish brand. “
– Andy Doran, LARAC
LARAC
The Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee, a strong supporter of the Rethink Rubbish campaign, called for WRAP to provide specific assistance for those local authorities currently running Rethink Rubbish campaigns.
LARAC chair Andy Doran said: “The change from the Rethink Rubbish brand will not be an easy one, but it is obvious from this independent research that a clearer message gaining consumer buy-in is needed.
“My concern is that hundreds of local authorities have invested time and money in designing their vehicle livery and promotional materials using the Rethink Rubbish brand and WRAP should consider assisting these authorities by making some transitional funding available.”
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