Nuclear Waste Mailing
Issue 22 | March 2012
Agency
Leo Burnett Germany
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director: Andreas Pauli; Assistant Creative Director: Albert Schlierbach; Copywriter: Sebastian Kraus, Florian Kroeber; Art Director: Albert Schlierbach; Creative Director: Peter Buck; Interactive: Michaela Siegl, Daniel Siegl
Production Team
Print Production: Monika Nikot; Reinzeichnung: 607er; Create and More: Thomas Breen; Head of Digital: Axel Kaeser
Other Credits
Account Director: Hans-Juergen Kammerer; Project Manager: Schiwa Mehrmann, Bernd Mau, Bahareh Kuppers
Date
January 2011
Background
In Germany alone, there are 17 active nuclear power plants. In 2010 the government introduced a draft bill to extend the operational lifetime of all plants. This will result in an increase of 370 tons of highly radioactive waste annually. To date, no solution has been found for its disposal.
Idea
Why not divide the nuclear waste fairly among every household in Germany?
On behalf of the German Society for Nature Conservation (NABU) the agency created the DGEAA – the German Society for the Storage of Nuclear Waste, which purported to be an official government organization.
In the mailing, they claimed responsibility for the first ever radiation-proof Domestic Castor ® Container. And this is what they mailed a thousand opinion formers and influencers, their individual 4.5g share of the entire country’s nuclear waste.
The cover letter told the recipient about the dangers of extending the lives of the existing power stations and creating more waste and drove them to a website where they could add their voices to those raised against the nuclear future.
Results
1,000 mail pieces were sent to selected decision makers. 86% of recipients visited the website. 24% directly wrote a mail to representatives of their local government.
Many journalists were prompted to cover the story and thus they helped to bring the problem of nuclear waste back onto the agenda.
As an issue, the subject of nuclear power had dropped off the radar in Germany but this mailing forced it back onto the agenda, making an invisible danger very visible.
Our Thoughts
The reason this idea was so successful, I think, is because it has a grim plausibility to it. Nuclear waste is a problem so rather than dig a big hole and put it all there, let’s give every household its very own piece of the problem. It solves the issue of where exactly to dig the big hole and is wonderfully democratic in allowing the entire country to become part of the solution! Hey, how could such a small amount of radioactive material be hazardous?!
The British used to think they were the masters of satire but it would seem the Germans have a good line in heavy irony as well.
P.S. One part of the campaign I really liked was when you went from the mailing to the website to find out about the DGEAA, the moment you clicked on it the website dissolved, clearing to reveal NABU’s message and link to their own site.