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Is recycling good for a creative environment?

Published a year ago

Our industry exists because of our ability to mine fresh and exciting creative nuggets and to generate new and stimulating concepts that inspire consumers.

It's our task to drive those customers to our clients' retail portals, fill their trolley and baskets and to light up their hungry tills every day!

But now, in a world of environmental and financial crises isn't it time we did our bit and started recycling our old campaigns in order to save the world by cutting down on the need for fresh ideas and begin reducing our creative waste.

It's nothing new for clients, and sometimes even agencies, to look back on previous campaigns and reminisce about how good they were and how 'we've never quite matched the creative quality of the old days'... And then bring them back!

The Oxo family, ahhh! Bisto!, Captain Birdseye... the list goes on, and now Ribena! And why not?

Nostalgia can work really well if used in the right way, at the right time.

Firstly, your brand needs to have a heritage to draw on, that is solid and uncorrupted.

Secondly your target audience still needs to be young enough, and commercially active enough, to remember the original campaign in order to have any traction.

Thirdly, you need to be sure that the original concept still resonates with your current and probably younger target audience too.

And, if you've ticked all three boxes then recycle till your heart's content.

Sure, Captain Birdseye has had a makeover with a new trendy beard and a fresh outfit but we still recognise him and we're still out there buying those comforting little breaded fish sticks in their millions!

And, for their 85th birthday, Ribena is at it too by bringing back its famous berry characters to tell mums that it is a sustainable, UK sourced brand, that is supporting our own farmers as well as being a great way to infuse their little darlings with their daily dose of Vitamin C.

Creative recycling has its place but beware, you need to check your brand's heritage credentials and be brutally honest about the current potential power output of the original campaign before you take the plunge! Otherwise you may look back in anger!