Government is increasingly embracing social media to engage Victorians within a progressively digital communications landscape. For their ‘Not in Bags’ campaign, Sustainability Victoria worked with Ellis Jones to take their first steps into influencer marketing, and appeal to the 1 in 5 Victorians who still put their recycling in plastic bags.

Research showed that incorrect recycling behaviours were most prevalent among people aged 35-55, and potentially from a CALD background. Our influencer marketing strategy sought to drive behaviour change with engaging, motivational, and relatable content that reached target audiences through trusted voices within their own communities.

To motivate correct recycling behaviours and  resonate with all audiences, we developed a core campaign concept, theme and hashtag  of ‘routine’ (#recyclingroutine).  Popular in social media,  promoting routine is also a clear behaviour change prompt and tactic as it aims to normalise intended behaviours in the audience’s existing everyday life patterns.

We recruited a diverse group of distinctly Victorian influencers to represent Sustainability Victoria’s target audiences. A mix of micro (up to 10k followers) and macro (10-150k followers) influencers, they ensured the campaign appealed to broad audiences through a diverse range of voices.

Working collaboratively with the influencers, we shaped their content strategy to achieve the goals of the campaign, and tailored key messages to fit each influencer’s own voice. Across the campaign, the influencers shared their own #recyclingroutine, demonstrating correct recycling behaviours and encouraging followers to do change their routine too.

The results astronomically exceeded our expectations by at least quadrupling our targets.

Together, the micro and macro influencers reached over 130,000 people and generated over 6,800 campaign engagements.

7 micro influencers and 6 micro influencers were recruited to participate in the campaign over two months. Influencers spanned locations across Victoria and represented a range of cultural backgrounds. The macros leaned more heavily on ‘star power’, with Clare Bowditch, Brian Taylor, Simon Toohey, Daisy Pearce, Carly Findlay and Geva Mentor as prominent faces in the campaign.

As Sustainability Victoria’s first foray into influencer marketing, this campaign served as a benchmark opportunity for the government body to determine if this communications channel was right for them. We conducted a thorough analysis of the campaign and distilled key insights for the Sustainability Victoria project team to take back to their wider network and inform their future influencer marketing strategies.

Ultimately, this campaign presented a compelling opportunity for government to connect with the community in a way that felt engaging, relevant and accessible. It leveraged influence creativity and managed risk to achieve outstanding results.

Check in with your #recyclingroutine; learn more  about keeping your waste loose on Sustainability Victoria’s website!