A happy old year

by Eleonora Anello

Happy year ... old year! It is not a joke but the gist of the communication campaign won the Fondazione Cariplo Special Award for best nonprofit/social campaign, of the fourth edition of the NC Awards, held last June and organized by ADC Group. The award went to the Agency Euro Rscg Milan who signed for Legambiente "Calendario", renamed on the web as "Happy old year".

The idea was born on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the known environmental organization and fell in parallel with the Christmas holidays. Wanting to make an unusual and symbolic gift, which also enclose the characteristics that distinguish Legambiente, they have designed a calendar. The gadget, a classic tribute to that time, is released from banality by a simple fact, and might even escape the most extreme advocates of recycling, so every 28 years the dates are repeated. So, it was enough to impress a red stamp on the calendars of 1982, to launch the viral campaign which, thanks to its success and visibility that has been in the media, can properly celebrate the association.

A well-deserved recognition went to a guerrilla marketing action will surprise the recipient with an unusual gimmick that simply demonstrates how even an old calendar is useful and allows the receiver to start the year on the “right foot”, with a tangible gesture to the environment.

Happy old year" has made use of a guerrilla campaign totally separated from traditional media which has been able to meet their target directly and also, in a sense, provocatively, actively involving it in the operation and promotion of recycling through the simple act of hanging on the wall an old but functional calendar. A must-have item, and present in homes and offices where it ends up will give people a reason to stop and reflect upon its contents. An unconventional promotion, which has low costs and is effective, if we take into account data on the Legambiente corporate website that in those days showed an increase in visits by 400%.