In a bold and unexpected move to tackle Helsinki’s litter problem, we turned to the most unlikely of allies — the seagulls. Often seen as antagonists, these birds have now become the seaside city’s unexpected heroes, demonstrating that keeping Helsinki clean is so simple that even seagulls can do it, benefiting both people and wildlife.
Like many major cities, Helsinki faces a persistent litter problem that affects not only the aesthetics of the city but also its environmental health. Each year, the city spends millions combating litter, which degrades the quality of life, comfort, and enjoyment for residents, tourists, and wildlife.
Challenge
People often litter because they underestimate the impact of a single piece of trash. After all, one piece won’t make a difference, right? What they do care about, however, is how their tax money is spent. So, we decided to use it in the most stupid way imaginable — by training seagulls with the help of a professional animal trainer to clean up people’s trash.
Yes, it sounds absurd and costly, but spending millions on cleaning up after people is even more absurd and costly. So, we flipped the narrative: seagulls, once seen as the very symbols of litter and mess, became the champions of cleanliness. Now, when people see a seagull in Helsinki, they don’t just think of scavenging birds; they think of tidiness and a litter-free city.
A cleaner city not only enhances the quality of life but also keeps harmful trash out of nature and the sea, ultimately benefiting both people and wildlife.
The Creative Solution
People are usually indifferent to what the city does, until someone points out how much money it costs. We decided to create a project that would break through the barrier of indifference, grab the attention of the audience and bring about change through getting people to look at their relationship to littering in a new way.
By framing the littering issue in a new way and using humor to do so, we would get a chance to bump the audience towards a cleaner way of thinking. We needed to do more than just remind people, so we opted for a platform that could engage the audience in all touchpoints.
Strategy
Casefilm
Execution
The campaign gave the city a platform to talk about litter and engage different communities and audiences, e.g. schools, kindgartens, the youth.
We engaged the audience in several touchpoints. The seagulls themselves took part in events, posing for photos with people, participating in celebrations and reminding people to pick up their trash. Citizens were given a chance to see themselves in a city where litter has blown up.
The seagulls were featured in advertising, ranging from digital out of home to social media posts.
The program was launched using both Helsinki’s internal communication channels, but also paid media. The launch took place on May Day and the seagulls were first introduced in the Kaivopuisto celebration.
