Fost Plus is launching a new phase of its national campaign end of September. Starring the now-familiar toy chicken and with the mantra “If it's packaging, it can go in the bag!”. At the same time, our chicken is now also making an appearance on the radio and on TikTok, which is helping us to further expand the media reach of our message.
The plastic toy chicken first made its appearance in September 2024 with one clear mission: to refresh the PMD sorting rules in a playful and original way. After all, however well Belgians sort, there is still plenty of room for improvement (see box). Too many items still end up in the PMD bag that don't belong there at all.
Repetition works
More than two years later, following four phases of the campaign, we can look back on some excellent results. Post-tests carried out by Profacts show that 65% of Belgians recognise the campaign. It did not go unnoticed in the advertising world either and has since won several awards.
So there are plenty of reasons to launch the fifth phase of the campaign this autumn. As part of this, we’re re-running the TV advert from the previous campaign featuring the nineties classic You Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer. In a new development, we are also adding radio to the media mix. To maximise brand recognition, the chicken has been given its very own sound identity for the occasion.
Sorting as a lifestyle
The game format ‘PMD of nee/Sans hésiter PMC’ is returning to social media. Here, well-known Belgians are given 30 seconds to sort 20 items. Just like last time, a mix of ambassadors from the three regions was chosen: Sacha Ferra, Jeny Bonsenge, GuiHome, Jamie-Lee Six and Jelle Beeckman. Shauna Dewit is hosting once again. The ambassadors will also challenge their followers to beat them in a new web game.
Through our social media presence, we at aim to make PMD sorting a trendy lifestyle choice, targeting younger audiences in particular. We’re expanding our reach here too. As well as Meta and Snapchat, we’re now adding TikTok to the mix. This way, we make sure we don’t miss a single opportunity to remind Belgian consumers of the mantra: “If it's packaging, it can go in the bag!”.
The campaign will run for six weeks, from late September to early November.
Why this campaign?
Although Belgians are among the best at sorting waste in Europe, there is still room for improvement. Last year, nearly 13.5% of the PMD collected did not belong in the blue bag. That comes to 41,660 tonnes of incorrectly sorted waste, or an average of one full PMD bag per Belgian.
One of the misconceptions is that the ‘P’ in PMD stands for all plastic waste, whereas it actually refers exclusively to packaging. That's why we are trying to make Belgians more familiar with this using a simple slogan: if it's packaging, it can go in the bag!
The four most common misconceptions
1. Large plastic items that are not packaging. Think of garden furniture, toys, a broken lunchbox or a bucket: they all feel like plastic, but that doesn’t mean they belong in the PMD bag. Only packaging is allowed in there.
2. Non-empty packaging. A half-full sauce bottle or a forgotten tin: packaging containing leftovers is too heavy for the sorting machines and ends up in the residual waste – which is then incinerated. So, empty it before throwing it away.
3. Paper, cardboard and textiles. Notebooks filled with writing, cardboard boxes or a worn-out T-shirt do not belong in the PMD. They should be disposed of in the relevant places (paper and cardboard collection, clothing container or thrift shop).
4. Hygienic and hazardous waste. Medical supplies, nappies or sharp objects make the sorting process unhygienic and dangerous for the sorters. They should be disposed of as general waste (in the case of nappies) or via a specific collection scheme.