From the Ground Up

Increasing composting within diverse communities.

The City of Frederick | results first

400

new household sign-ups

19,800+

lbs. per month

of organic materials diverted from landfills.

8.6 Million+

impressions

through media and social channels alone.

$76,251

total publicity value

In their words

The Challenge

The City of Frederick faced a significant challenge in overcoming the lack of knowledge and accessibility of composting practices among key audiences. The campaign specifically targeted 1,600 residents in the economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of NACs 5 and 8. The goal was to increase organic waste diversion from landfills by 10% over six months. This target aimed to demonstrate the success of a pilot program that improved access to composting resources and information, with the hopes of securing its expansion.

The solution

A multifaceted educational campaign, engaging partners to transcreate materials into languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic to ensure cultural relevance and wider reach. The initiative was crafted using local insights to resonate with diverse groups, including youth, teens, and adults. By combining precise messaging with boots on the ground efforts, leveraging community spaces, and collaborating with local influencers, the campaign overcame diverse barriers. Strategic behavioral and persona targeting further enhanced engagement, maintaining brand integrity across all communications.

Our approach included

  • Audience research, testing and transcreation/translation.
  • Partnership development.
  • Stakeholder and partner engagement.
  • Creative toolkit for evergreen parter use.
  • Custom campaign creative.
  • Curated messaging by audience.
  • Community events.
  • Social media.
  • Public relations.
  • Digital boosted content.

the execution

Campaign Development

The development of the Frederick Composting Initiative was a meticulously orchestrated process designed to foster community engagement and sustainable behavior change. From the outset, GAVIN's team worked closely with CoF and key community stakeholders to gain a deep understanding of the local context and the specific challenges faced by residents in the targeted neighborhoods.

Public Engagement

The Frederick Composting Initiative's public engagement strategy amplified its reach through over a dozen secured media opportunities and robust on-site event support. Promoting easy-to-use community composting drop-offs, these efforts educated the public on the simplicity and importance of composting, significantly enhancing community participation and awareness.

Branding + Toolkit Creation

A comprehensive suite of campaign materials, from a brand guide and digital content to print brochures and event materials, was developed in seven languages to support the initiative's goals. GAVIN's team, in partnership with local stakeholders, focused on creating tools that would resonate within the diverse community fabric of Frederick.

Social Media

Both organic and boosted content tailored to educate and engage we produced with compelling imagery, targeted messaging, and strategic hashtags to emphasize easy composting access, provide educational insights, and debunk recycling myths. This approach effectively heightened awareness and participation in the composting program while keeping content fresh and versatile.