Sustainability & Behaviour Change

A screenshot of a phone showing the words "Fridge Night"

I trust Marketing Mums to deliver robust, strategic outputs every time. Behaviour Change can be very technical and they digest reams of information and turn it into practical processes that really work for marketeers too. Working with them is smooth and engaging, creating an environment conducive to new thinking and pushing for the best outcome. As an added bonus, working with Paul, Irene and the team is always high energy and fun!

Christina Bauer-Plank, VP, Unilever

With the global Unilever purpose to make a difference in the world for good, this project followed on from work to identity the specific area Hellmann’s could build their own brand purpose to create real action. Starting with ‘we make taste, not waste’, the challenge was to incite active behaviour change in consumers that would make a real impact to food waste.

A screenshot from a phone showing a photo of a pasta dish and the button "get free app"
A screenshot from a phone showing a photo of a pasta dish and the button "get free app"

Starting with the definition of the challenge, we worked with the Hellmann’s team to identify where food waste happened, and where in the process Hellmann’s could intervene to change the behaviour. An extensive Immersion, using the Unilever ‘5 Levers for Change’ tool, uncovered a key insight around unseen, unused, unloved fresh ingredients lurking at the back of the fridge until they are guiltily disposed of when they are definitively past their best. The perfect place for Hellmann’s to intervene as the jar or bottle lives in the fridge too.

This insight, validated by behavioural scientists, was developed through a collaborative workshop into an idea:

an app that tracks the left-behind, even intimidating ingredients that are forgotten in the depths of the fridge before their inevitable demise.

The app wouldn’t just highlight what was there but provide inspiration on how to use it, create an event out of using up ‘waste’ and reward users for joining in the movement.

The resulting app, developed with Ogilvy, brings together simple recipe ideas and rewards with a ‘use-up’ day to create new habits. As a five week programme, the app is targeted at savvy millennials who want to save money, and the planet.

Three advertising images for the Fridge Night app, showing features and screenshots

The results:

An incredible 33% reduction in food waste.

Further details on the results can be read in this white paper written by BEworks who measured the results of the pilot.