By Nick Mann - The organisers of an industry-backed campaign to promote WEEE recycling using TV advertising have launched a ‘final push’ to raise more funding for the initiative before the advert is screened at Christmas.
The advert has been funded by over 40 companies from across the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) industry, including reprocessors, compliance schemes, waste management companies and haulage firms.
The WEEE TV advert is set to be screened at Christmas.In total, £45,100 has now been raised towards buying advertising slots to screen the advert, which can be viewed here. Last month, the organisers set a target of at least £32,000. The initiative is being co-ordinated by WEEE reprocessor SWEEEP Kuusakoski, with donations being encouraged via the website http://www.weeeconnect.co.uk/.
SWEEEP Kuusakoski’s contracts manager Justin Greenaway described the amount raised to date as “staggering”, but told letsrecycle.com there was now a “final push” to secure more members of the campaign.
It is understood that there is a particular focus on signing up a couple more large companies, although Mr Greenaway stressed “it does not matter how modest your contribution is”, noting that just £100 would purchase enough airtime for an additional 28,000 viewers.
According to Mr Greenaway, the current total raised means that, “based on last year’s viewing figures our budget could communicate right now to 12.68 million people”.
The next step for the campaign is to purchase airtime, with aim of funding being collected until the end of September 2011. This would allow advertising to be purchased in mid-October, when slots for Christmas screenings on nationally-broadcast channels like ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and 5 become available.
The TV advert campaign was originally launched last year (see letsrecycle.com story) to raise public awareness of WEEE recycling and, in particular, to increase small WEEE recycling rates.
SWEEEP Kuusakoksi was joined by eight other WEEE businesses - including reprocessors and compliance schemes - to fund the production of the advert, which was unveiled in March 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Plans to screen the advert at Christmas were confirmed last month (see letsrecycle.com story), and Mr Greenaway said the campaign had continued to attract members since then.
The most recent funding members are batteries recycling company G&P Batteries and compliance scheme Clarity, who both signed up this week, bringing the total number of co-funders to 43.
The initiative is being co-ordinated via the WEEE Connect website, which details the supporters for the initiative and what it hopes to achieveMr Greenaway said: “You can’t fail to be impressed with the enthusiasm that the recycling industry has taken to the TV advertising concept.
“A further two companies have committed to co-fund already this week and interest is coming in from many more companies. Even agency recycling staff companies are helping to co-fund: more WEEE equals more staff, so you can follow the logic.”
He added: “This is the industry’s chance to stand together to solve a four year old lack of WEEE public awareness – apathy makes no business sense at all.”
Among the campaign’s co-funders, Dr Philip Morton, chief executive of the REPIC compliance scheme, said: “I am delighted with the quality of the advert and everyone involved is keen to have it widely shown. The plan is to get the ad on TV around the Christmas period, a time we believe will have maximum impact as consumers buy new and hence discard many old electrical items
His sentiments were echoed by Martyn Parfitt, compliance manager for the Electrolink compliance scheme, who said: "Electrolink are proud to be supporting the use of television advertising to increase the wider knowledge and understanding of WEEE recycling.
“Increased awareness will go a long way to help maximise the amount of WEEE recycled in the UK and help prevent valuable resources reaching landfill."
Karl Grieg, General Manager for WEEE Operations at DHL Envirosolutions, added: “We are pleased to be a lead partner in this exciting industry initiative which we hope will further improve public awareness. It is good to see the WEEE industry work together with a common objective."
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