Media Release: 30 March 2011
Butt Free Australia is launching a high impact outdoor poster campaign in Sydney, designed to change butt littering behaviour and reduce the environmental problems caused by cigarette butt litter.
The advertising communicates strongly that dropping or flicking butts is ‘Not a Good Look’ by depicting real people – not paid models – being photographed in the act of littering, as if caught by a CCTV network.*
The billboard campaign, which will roll out across the city in high traffic areas including Strathfield, Mascot, Homebush, Burwood, Eastlakes and the city, follows successful campaigns in other major cities, including Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. It is designed to persuade people to take personal responsibility for the appropriate disposal of butts.
According to Wendy Jones, Chief Executive Officer at Butt Free Australia, billboards are a highly effective means of highlighting the issue.
“Billboards are very visible and make a very public statement about the issue.”
“One in two items littered in Sydney is a cigarette butt,” Ms Jones said. “Individuals can make a difference and the billboard campaign delivers a clear message that littering is ‘Not a Good Look’ for the litterer nor the area being littered.”
“The campaign builds on the awareness created by last year’s campaign in Sydney clubs and pubs,” Ms Jones says, “and reminds smokers to PLEASE BUTT IT, THEN BIN IT®.”
Please visit Butt Free Australia’s campaign website www.notagoodlook.com.au for information about the impacts of cigarette butt litter as well as access to tools to take action, including the opportunity to get a FREE personal ashtray.
To share the vision and join the move toward a ‘Butt Free Australia’, visit www.buttfree.org.au
*People photographed consented to Butt Free Australia using the photographs.
Background to ‘Not a Good Look’
The ‘Not a Good Look’ campaign was developed to raise the awareness of the problem of cigarette butt littering in the broader community and to change the behaviour that causes it. The national research, ‘Understanding attitudes & behaviour behind cigarette butt littering’, was developed in response to the findings of behavioural research.
The Bigger Picture
Currently, nearly one in two of all items found in the litter stream are cigarette butts (according to the Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index). Working with strategic partners and through some very proactive communication campaigns, Butt Free Australia is using the research findings to work towards reducing this number.
About Butt Free Australia
Butt Free Australia is a product stewardship organisation focussed on reducing the environmental impact of cigarette butt littering. Product stewardship initiatives provide avenues for everyone involved in a product chain to share responsibility for the products they produce, handle, purchase, use or discard.
British American Tobacco Australia (BATA) funded the establishment of the independent Butt Littering Trust (now trading as Butt Free Australia) in 2003. The Trust has always openly acknowledged its origins, and that BATA is still its major contributor.
Butt Free Australia’s activities include: social and behavioural research, awareness raising initiatives such as ‘Not a Good Look’, resource development and on-the-ground projects.
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Prepared by Connecting Images Marketing Communications, for Butt Free Australia.
More media information from Michele Eckersley,
t 03 9819 2566 e
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
m 0422 726 344
or
Wendy Jones, at Butt Free Australia
t 03 9898 0087 e
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
m 0418 172 400
