Re-turn, Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme, has released its first Christmas campaign, in collaboration with creative agency Boys + Girls.
According to the agency, the campaign marks the launch of Re-turn’s new brand platform, Re-turn It Right. The platform taps into something uniquely Irish – our shared belief that there’s a “right way” of doing things. We’re a nation defined by our rituals. And now, with a 91% recycling rate for bottles and cans being Re-turned, recycling is quickly becoming one of them.
The festive film was brought to life in collaboration with director Guy Manwaring, Butter productions, and ScreenScene Post Production. In the TVC we meet young Ben and his family who take us through the ‘right way’ to do Christmas, with moments that will be instantly recognisable – from family arriving too early, to the yearly Christmas board game argument, to the sandwich that comprises of the whole dinner between two slices of bread. However, in the background, young Ben is on his own mission – to hunt down all the bottles and cans left by the family to put into a bespoke orange Re-turn bag. Much to the family’s delight, he ends up looking like a miniature Santa Claus, making sure that everyone is recycling the right way.
The Christmas campaign extends across TV, social, OOH, and radio, with each execution putting a spotlight on an Irish Christmas behaviour. A special build OOH, featuring a Christmas tree made from 5,000 Re-turned cans, can also be spotted on Wexford Street wishing passers-by ‘Many Happy Re-turns’ for the festive period. When taken down, all will be donated to Return for Children, a fundraising initiative supporting six of Ireland’s national children’s charities: Barnardos, Barretstown, Childline by ISPCC, Jack & Jill Foundation, LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, and Make-A-Wish Ireland.
“Christmas in Ireland has always been about doing things The Right Way – coming together, looking out for each other, and finding joy in the small, meaningful moments.” said Dermot Mulligan, Re-turn’s CMO.
“Our campaign celebrates that spirit. We want to remind families that returning their empty drinks containers is a simple act that has a real impact, especially at this time of year, when our homes are full, and recycling can easily slip our minds. By choosing to recycle The Right Way, households can start the new year with a habit that’s good for the environment and benefits Ireland’s future.”
Kris Clarkin, creative director at Boys + Girls, said: “The idea behind Re-turn It Right is that Ireland is full of unwritten rules. The things we all do because, somehow, we all agree they’re the right way to do them, like curing an illness with flat 7Up and a bit of dry toast. These little rituals quietly bind Irish people together. We wanted Re-turning to join that list, and by placing it right in the middle of an Irish Christmas, surrounded by moments everyone recognises, we’re helping it shift from a new behaviour to a natural one. Something that simply feels like the right way to do things.”
CREDITS
Agency: Boys & Girls:
Chief Creative Officer: Rory Hamiliton
Creative Director: Kris Clarkin
Copywriter: Jess Murphy
Art Director: Jessie Newman
Executive Relationship Director: Caroline Keogh
Senior Account Manager: Sinead Higgins
Account Executive: Emma MacNamee
Producer: Sinead Farrelly
Strategy Director: Tara Finnegan
Head of Operations: Lauren McNinney
Finished Art: Simon Ross
Motion Designer: Ruby Valdez
Client: Re-turn:
Chief Marketing Officer: Dermot Mulligan
Marketing & Communications Consultant: Nicky Doran
Senior Marketing Manager: James King
Campaigns Manager: Edel Birchall
PT78, Consultant: Amy Mitchell
Senior PR Executive: Stephen Walsh
Digital Marketing Executive: Darragh Greenalgh
Production: Butter
Director: Guy Manwaring
Exec Producer: Butter Michael Duffy
Producer: Grainne Tiernan
DOP: Patrick Meller
Production Designer: Paki Smith
Stylist: Colm Corrigan
MU/Hair: Artist Edwina Kelly
Location Manager: Maria O’Connor
Gaffer: Eoin O’Hagan
1st Asst. Director: Charlie Endean
Grip: Stephen O’Brien
Production Co-ordinator: Treasa O’Friel
Production Supervisor: Butter Killian Connolly
Production Co-ordinator: Butter Jess Lyons
Sound: Mutiny
Sound Engineer: Mutiny, Mark Richards
Post Production: ScreenScene
Editor: Charlie Moreton Work Editorial
Post Supervisor: Jennifer Connolly
Post Production House: Screen Scene
VFX Supervisor: Allen Sillery
Post Producer: Anne Marie Downes, Sinead Bagnall
Colourist: Hannibal Lang
Photography
Photographer: Liam Murphy
