Creating FOGO heroes of the Inner West
Food Organics, Garden Organics Service Introduction
Overview
The Inner West Council, located in NSW, is a uniquely creative community with a diverse population of over 200,000 residents. In 2023, the Inner West Council will introduce Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) to all residents living in single-unit dwellings.
Inner West Council partnered with Icon to deliver a behaviour change communications plan to inform, educate and engage Inner West residents on what FOGO is and to positively embrace FOGO and change their waste behaviours to create a better future.
Background
Food waste is the largest single component of garbage bins in the Inner West area, at an average of 47%. This waste ends up in landfill, breaking down in a way that creates greenhouse gases, affecting air quality and public health.
To reduce organic material being sent to landfill, the NSW Government introduced new requirements for councils across the state to introduce FOGO bins to households by 2036. Instead of going to landfill, the waste will be turned into compost and fertiliser.
The Inner West Council has a progressive commitment to the environment, with the introduction of FOGO supporting the Council's Zero Waste Strategy in the 2034 Community Strategic Plan. The Council has two clear aims following the launch of the FOGO service:
Reduce food waste in the landfill waste stream by 50% from 103 kg pp/year to 51.5kg pp/year, and
Increase the level of avoidance and recovery of organic material.
Challenge
Resident waste behaviour surveys conducted by the Inner West told us that the community is generally concerned about the amount of waste that goes to landfill. However, this doesn’t always translate into waste minimisation behaviour. For many, when it comes to looking after the environment, the intent to do the right thing may be there, and there may even be a social desire to do so, but sometimes action isn’t always followed through.
There may be a number of reasons for this, including:
A feeling of inertia and helplessness around doing more for the environment
For many, there is a perception that other people aren’t doing it, and therefore they won’t either
The ability to use organic waste in a constructive has not been easy or readily accessible
For some, lack of knowledge around what goes in what bin can lead to them falling into old habits of just using the general waste bin.
Research told us that this community has the motivation to do the right thing with their food waste. What our communications needed to do was make the use of the FOGO bin feel universally easy and a community norm.
Strategy
Icon’s creative approach was to show residents of the Inner West that using the FOGO bin is something anyone can do and encourage them to take pride in themselves and how their community is making a positive impact.
Introducing ‘Be a FOGO Hero!’, we showed residents of the Inner West how to unlock their powers and become heroes when they FOGO. The vibrant look and feel allowed us to impart practical information in an eye-catching way and is deliberately endearing and evocative for younger audiences, leaning into the notion of anyone and everyone being able to FOGO.
Valiant heroes of all shapes, sizes and supernatural abilities are presented in the campaign artwork, which Icon captured through a videography and photography shoot in local residential areas. Production of assets included videos for launch on social media, DLs and postcards for starter packs distributed to mailboxes and posters in community hotspots, as well as translated materials for CALD residents.
Results
In late 2023, the campaign launched, and starter packs were shared with residents along with everything they needed to successfully FOGO before the service rolled out from the 9th of October.
Services
Behaviour change communications
Creative ideation and art direction
Video and photography
Graphic design
Collateral delivery
