Allen Forbes

Young men are among the least likely to recycle beverage containers—despite being highly engaged in digital spaces. Traditional environmental messaging wasn’t resonating with this group, often perceived as preachy or easy to ignore.

Solution

We created a behaviorally-informed campaign built around peer influence. Rather than guilt, we used humor and cultural references to normalize recycling. The message: everyone makes questionable life choices—but recycling shouldn’t be one of them.

Campaign

Built in partnership with Wasserman + Partners, this fully integrated digital campaign targeted Gen Z males where they already are—online. The strategy focused on subtle peer-to-peer nudges, calling out bad recycling behavior with a wink. Media included short-form video, TikTok, Instagram, and programmatic placements. Even Tinder was used to extend reach in a culturally relevant way.

Impact

• High engagement rates among Gen Z audiences

• Strong brand association for Encorp's Return-It initiative

• Gen Z Campaign language mirrored audience vernacular, reinforcing relatability and recall

A non-traditional media buy on Twitch and other Gen-Z-specific channels.

Mobile-first strategy.

There were Tinder quizzes to test how strong your recycling game is.