GAVIN Leverages Strategic Public Relations to Introduce Plastic Recovery Innovation to the Business World
When CRDC Global discovered a proven approach to turning unwanted plastics into a valuable Eco-Aggregate that improves concrete through its innovative RESIN8™ technology, it required a high-impact introduction to a new way of thinking. The strategy would also require focus on motivating change within a well-established system of wasteful management and building supply preference for materials.
The formal introduction of CRDC Global to the business world with the launch of RESIN8™ necessitated GAVIN to devise a comprehensive public relation strategy working to build trust in the science, admiration for the mission of plastic reuse and motivation to adopt new behaviors.
CRDC turned to GAVIN’s influential public relations team to tap our network of national and regional media, along with connections among business leaders in targeted geographies. GAVIN developed a precise narrative brought to life through a high-visibility plan leveraging CRDC’s success stories to date, no matter how small, to then parlay into introductions with large-scale influential brands.
GAVIN’s team worked with CRDC to identify key stories to simplify the explanation of how its innovative approach to a collaborative net-zero circular economy model using plastics to improve the construction industry was a game-changer. With a strong social outcomes theme, GAVIN formed a variety of media introductions explaining the value chain and the mutually beneficial opportunities for business leaders to improve their commitment to sustainability and make economic gains.
Even with the recent recognition by Fast Company as a World Changing Idea in May of 2023 submitted by CRDC, GAVIN’s team of senior advisors knew a series of geographic concentric coverage circles had to be achieved to build a groundswell of media coverage to capture the attention of key players, like the region’s largest employers and community officials. We knew that building influence meant having influential voices be the first to adopt new behavior was essential to making CRDC’s vision a reality. We worked to achieve a consistent drum beat that would become hard to ignore—all while pushing to attract business partners on both ends of the RESIN8™ technology cycle that could sustain the model in a single market as a perfect case.
Our team worked with CRDC’s leadership to focus on priority markets first, including Central Pennsylvania where the location of CRDC’s first U.S. plastic recovery facility was established. Having the facility in proximity for tours offered optimal publicity opportunities, proving to be a goldmine for reporter interest, as seeing was essential to believing the RESIN8™ story.
Local Brewery partners with CRDC CEO onsite for The Bag that Builds installation and launch.
CRDC’s team also secured highly visible placement with smaller venues to build regional buzz, including at local hotspots like popular breweries where bevies of crowds gathered and would be exposed to the concept of their “The Bag that Builds: One Bag – Zero Waste” plastic collection process.
GAVIN’s team used the hotspots for convenient interaction points, helping to convene players to see how the end user interacts with the concept. While larger scale venues were the priority target, smaller partners provided opportune conversation points, and what better way to converse about net-zero than over a cold pint in an outdoor space.
In the first three months, the overwhelming attention achieved by the launch publicity plan ignited a spark resulting in direct outreach by key potential partners.
We caught the attention of government officials, leading to an introduction with the mayor of the City of York, PA, which led to an ongoing commitment to a new collection program with CRDC. The connection created an opportunity for the city to make a visionary commitment to partner with CRDC to become the first plastic-free city in the USA.
“The connection created an opportunity for the city to make a commitment to partner with CRDC to become the first plastic-free city in the USA.”
In addition, the region’s largest health system, WellSpan Health, employing 23,000 employees, initiated discussions to create a plastic waste stream for the organization. The effort would establish a supply future, building materials to support facility expansions. It also created the necessary launch revenue for CRDC to integrate those materials into their production line of innovative construction materials.
WellSpan Health System truck makes a delivery.
The vision was coming to life which allowed GAVIN to place CRDC executive interviews in national media, including Forbes, and highly influential regional media outlets like WITF, the regional NPR affiliate. The coverage increased community awareness and engagement efforts for the company regarding their process and plastic collection programs.
GAVIN leveraged key partners for their influential voices by coordinating facility tours with the CEO and other executives of WellSpan with the media in tow. The alignment with highly visible community leaders created fertile ground for continued business partnerships.
WellSpan Health CEO with CRDC COO on faculty tour.
Coverage continued with placements in Health Facilities Management, Construction & Demolition Recycling, Recycling Today, and more, covering everything from sustainable building to nonprofit partnerships.
CRDC’s team was gaining speed and had enough of a plastic recovery pipeline to focus on its breakthrough construction products using RESIN8™, which was proving to be a viable component for 3DPC, 3D printed materials designed for the building industry.
The first year of a robust publicity launch has provided enough momentum to now plan for increased U.S. and global public relations support to drive greater visibility in expanded key markets where CRDC has plans for manufacturing investments and growth. CRDC has established enough plastic recovery partnerships to now highlight their production growth and increased capabilities to spur new sales for the building products in the company’s growing portfolio.
CRDC’s plans are well in motion with continued expansion into Mexico, Samoa, New Zealand, Austria, UK, South Africa and Costa Rica, introducing new building products made of RESIN8™, including international partnerships with Habitat for Humanity.
“GAVIN helped galvanize the community around our innovative new plastic recycling facility. Not only did they ensure the local coverage was great, but they also helped spread the word with influential stakeholders, leading to new opportunities and partnerships.”
Ross Gibby,
Chief Operating Officer
Results by the Numbers
54 Million
Media Impressions
$3,120,000
Publicity Value
203
Media Placements in 10 Months