Ambuja and ACC aim to make marine pollution water under the bridge

Holcim, the parent company of Ambuja and ACC, has rolled out a campaign titled #ChangeTheStory to instil the message of practical plastic waste solutions, resource conservation methods, and sustainable livelihoods. 

Conceptualised by Alok Nanda and Company, the films address the challenge associated with marine plastic pollution. 

The first film showcases how Geocycle India, the waste management arm of Ambuja and ACC removed plastic waste from rivers in India through a non-invasive ‘bubble curtain’ technology. The film brought to life a bubble that narrates its role in waste and conservation, through an upbeat rap song. 

The second film features a scientist testing the harmful effects of river water on plastic. It showed that even several hours, days and years could not rid the plastic that had entered the waters. It gives out the message that the plastic in the water won't get removed unless someone gets it out of there and frees rivers of their polluted past. 

Campaign India spoke with Shalini Singh, corporate communication and sustainability head, Holcim, to pick her brain on the film’s insight, marketing approach, the technology employed for this campaign and more...

Edited excerpts: 

What was the brief given to Alok Nanda and Company?

We wanted to take a vital step to amplify solutions for a better tomorrow and co-author a story of a new India that sees sustainability as an integral part of our success in the country. 

Launching this campaign, we aimed to create an impactful change for the environment and write a new story strengthened by hope, optimism and action.

The brief given to the agency was to create thoughtful and impactful pieces of communication that were equally entertaining and informative. We aimed to package the campaign in such a way that it strikes a chord with the audience. 

Can you give us a breakdown of the marketing spends for this campaign?

The media-mix for this campaign comprises films, press and digital, to talk about the first sustainability initiative - the revolutionary bubble barrier technology that removes plastic waste in rivers. 

#ChangeTheStory is set to expand its scope to include more stories of impactful change for the environment and society. The allocation of spends is 35% on traditional media, 50% on digital media and 15% on new age media with companies like mCanvas and other innovations.

How long will this campaign be active?

It is a long term campaign, 'Bubble Barrier' being the first launched leg, will last for three more months. However, we will be coming back with many more campaign legs around path-breaking sustainability initiatives to make a difference. 

We want to address some of the most pressing challenges around sustainability and do our bit to support India’s net-zero goals. Therefore, #ChangeTheStory will be an ongoing campaign. 

We will also be highlighting other interventions in the upcoming quarters, such as our partnership with BCCI for cleaning plastic waste from stadiums, pioneering biofuel in sea transportation and many more. #ChangeTheStory is a platform that looks to find solutions to tackling plastic waste, resource conservation and other issues of national importance such as women empowerment, sustainable livelihoods with a sense of urgency and providing solutions that will benefit the future of society.

How does the bubble curtain technology work, and when was this project first actioned?  

‘Bubble Barrier’ is a great opportunity for ACC and Ambuja to fight marine littering with a ‘zero-waste approach’ as all the collected waste is transported to our plants for co-processing.

As the name suggests, Bubble Barrier is produced by introducing perforated air tubes under the surface of the water body and across its breadth. These can be placed at a depth or even on the floor of the water body, depending upon water quality analysis. The tubes are connected to a source of compressed air, which is powered by solar or any other form of renewable energy. This air forms a vertical sheet of bubbles, or a ‘bubble barrier’, which forces plastic to the surface of the water body.

ACC had also launched a campaign with the BCCI to remove waste from stadiums. How has that worked out? Was it only for the India-NZ series?

Ambuja and ACC had partnered with BCCI to provide a safe and sustainable solution for the safe disposal of waste generated during a cricket match. Ambuja Cement ran a waste management drive during the India England T20 five-match series held at Narendra Modi Stadium in March 2021. The five-match series at the world’s largest cricket stadium created 3-4 tonnes of waste and approximately one tonne of single-use plastic collected through the waste-management arm, Geocycle. 

Enabling a circular economy model, the collected single-use plastic waste was re-purposed and safely managed through co-processing, to generate fuel through Geocycle’s safe waste management solutions.