Audio advertising played a central role in helping Stoke-on-Trent City Council raise awareness of its new free food waste collections, delivering clear, practical guidance to residents while building pride in the local community. Through a combination of education-led activity, targeted audio advertising and strategic extensions, the campaign successfully informed, engaged and inspired residents to take part in the city’s food waste recycling scheme.
About the Client
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is committed to improving sustainability, environmental responsibility and community wellbeing across the city. As part of this mission, the Council introduced a new free food waste collection service designed to reduce landfill waste and encourage residents to recycle food responsibly.
The audience was broad and diverse, including families, students and young people. This made audio advertising an ideal channel — trusted, accessible and capable of reaching people in everyday moments at home, on the move and during mealtimes.
About the Campaign
The campaign had a clear and important goal: to raise awareness of the city’s new free food waste collections and show residents exactly how to take part. This required more than simple promotion — it needed education, reinforcement and community involvement.
The initial booking combined on-air audio advertising with an interactive Creation Station experience. This was supported by We Support trails, designed to build pride in looking after the local community and reinforce the importance of collective action around recycling.
About the Audio Campaign
Audio advertising sat at the heart of the campaign strategy. By using trusted radio environments, the Council was able to deliver clear, practical messaging at moments when listeners were relaxed and receptive.
The campaign also utilised targeted Audio Xi, focusing on postcodes most likely to benefit from additional guidance — particularly families and students. This ensured that audio advertising reached the right audiences with relevant information about food waste recycling.
The extended campaign introduced breakfast show sponsorship and partnership tags at key mealtimes, strategically aligning audio advertising messages with moments when listeners were preparing food. This contextual placement encouraged residents to think about recycling food waste at exactly the right time.
The Brief
Stoke-on-Trent City Council briefed for a campaign that would:
- Educate residents about the new free food waste collections
- Encourage correct participation in the scheme
- Reach families, students and young people effectively
- Build pride in sustainability and community action
- Use audio advertising creatively to drive understanding, not just awareness
The Council also wanted to ensure the campaign felt positive, inclusive and locally rooted.
The Message
The campaign message centred on clarity, encouragement and community pride. Audio advertising focused on simple instructions, reassurance and the collective impact of small actions.
A standout element of the campaign was the Creation Station, which involved pupils from Sutherland Primary Academy. The session was split into two engaging parts: the first focused on positive communication, media awareness and community pride; the second encouraged children to get creative by working on a brief for the Council about food waste services.
Children of different ages worked together, listened to each other’s ideas and collaborated openly. Their enthusiasm and pride in their school and community shone through in the scripts they helped write — some of which featured their voices in the final audio advertising content.
The Solution
The solution combined education, creativity and targeted audio advertising to drive understanding and behaviour change.
The Creation Station proved to be one of the most engaging elements of the campaign, inspiring young people while reinforcing sustainable habits. Teachers praised the workshop for being highly engaging, age-appropriate and expertly delivered, while also broadening children’s understanding of media and creative careers.
On-air audio advertising reinforced these messages city-wide, while targeted Audio Xi ensured relevance and efficiency. The extended activity allowed for consistent reinforcement through sponsorship and partnership tags, keeping food waste recycling front of mind over time.
Success Measures
The success of the campaign was reflected in its extension and the volume of positive feedback received from schools, teachers and community partners.
Feedback included:
- “What a fantastic opportunity for our school council to engage in two things we love – performing and sustainability.” – Sutherland Primary Academy
- “The pupils even created their very own on-air advert, ready for everyone to hear.” – Stoke-on-Trent City Council
- “Your enthusiasm and commitment to our children was phenomenal.” – Classroom feedback
Teachers highlighted the campaign’s strengths, including its inclusivity across age ranges, expert delivery, strong communication and its impact on children’s aspirations and understanding of the radio industry.
Summary
This campaign demonstrates the power of audio advertising when combined with education, creativity and community involvement. By using audio advertising not just as a broadcast tool but as a platform for participation, Stoke-on-Trent City Council successfully raised awareness of its food waste recycling scheme and inspired residents to take action.
From classroom workshops to targeted audio advertising and strategic extensions, the campaign delivered meaningful impact — proving that audio advertising can inform, engage and drive positive change at a local level.