The Challenge:

Around 1.3 billion inkjet cartridges are sold globally each year, and less than 30 percent are recycled. The rest often end up in landfills or are incinerated, leaking toxic inks, plastics, and volatile organic compounds into the environment. A single toner cartridge generates approximately 4.8 kilograms of CO₂ during production. Over time, discarded cartridges contribute to the estimated 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste that enter the oceans annually. Once in the marine environment, the plastic casings break down into microplastics, harming wildlife and entering the food chain.

The Solution: 

We created Think Before You Ink as a brainstorm concept to show how a simple and striking idea can spark awareness and action. The campaign uses the visual of ink spilling from a discarded cartridge into a polluted ocean to highlight the environmental cost of not recycling. It is designed to be scalable across formats, including out-of-home and print ads in office spaces, animated social posts and reels, experiential outdoor installations, and short PSA videos.

This concept shows how strong storytelling, combined with data and emotion, can work across channels to encourage more sustainable habits.