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The brief

Recycling contamination caused by dirty nappies costs local authorities millions each year. In 2019/20, Biffa estimated the cost at £1.48m. North London Waste Authority asked us to develop a recycling communications campaign to reduce nappy contamination, encourage parents to dispose of nappies in general waste, and support their call for clearer labelling from manufacturers.

Insights and approach

We started by visiting the Materials Recovery Centre to understand the real-world impact of recycling contamination. Staff confirmed that dirty nappies were a persistent and unpleasant contaminant because sorting is done by hand. Polling showed one in ten parents admitted to putting nappies in household recycling, often because packaging displayed recycling symbols or because “disposable” was mistaken for “recyclable”.

These insights shaped a behaviour-led creative approach. Rather than blame parents, we built an accessible and memorable environmental behaviour change campaign — Bin Your Nappy — that gave people clear, simple guidance.

The campaign centred on an animated video rewriting a familiar nursery rhyme, voiced by local schoolchildren. Paid social ran across Facebook, Instagram and Spotify to reach parents across north London. We also equipped local authorities, health partners and children’s centres with posters and materials to reinforce the message.To support NLWA’s call for clearer labelling, we produced a LinkedIn video for Authority leaders to amplify to industry. The campaign continued into 2021 with humorous influencer content from The Scummy Mummies, helping the message reach new parents at scale 

Results

The story captured national attention, securing coverage across Sky News, BBC, ITV, Mail Online, Huffington Post and major online news outlets. London broadcasters produced in-depth pieces featuring interviews and extracts from the animation, reinforcing the behavioural message.
Regional uptake was strong, with a PA story syndicated widely. Social engagement was high, with broadcaster-shared videos generating tens of thousands of views and extensive audience interaction. The campaign successfully raised awareness, shifted understanding among parents and strengthened NLWA’s call for clearer product labelling.

  • 15

    national media items (target 2–3)

  • 15

    London items (target 5–8)

  • 184

    regional items

  • 70k

    social media impressions

  • 19.5%

    webpage click-through rate

“

We were really impressed with the time the Barley team invested at the outset of this campaign to get under the skin of the issue of recycling contamination, both in terms of the behaviours behind it and the impact on recycling. The Bin Your Nappy campaign they came up is so creative and perfectly designed to resonate with parents of young children. They were also really thoughtful in how this creative could best be deployed, introducing us to new channels to reach north London parents, particularly those who don’t traditionally engage with environmental messages. We were absolutely thrilled with the results.

Miriam Cragg

Senior Communications Manager, NLWA

The brief

ReLondon wanted to inspire 16–24-year-old Londoners to rethink fast fashion and choose more sustainable ways to buy, use and dispose of clothes. They asked Barley to create a sustainable fashion campaign that could cut through the constant fast-fashion advertising aimed at young people.The goal was simple but ambitious: extend the life of clothing by encouraging reuse and recycling, diverting thousands of items from incineration and landfill.

Insights and approach

We worked with ReLondon to create #LoveNotLandfill, a fresh, youth-focused brand designed to connect authentically with young Londoners. Polling revealed that 16–24-year-olds throw away around 35 million items of clothing each year, so we needed a message that was impactful without being judgemental.

Through workshops with the ReLondon team, we developed brand values, messaging and a tone of voice that balanced urgency with positivity. We collaborated with designers to build an energetic visual identity that stood out from fast-fashion branding while still feeling accessible and trend-aware — an important insight from our focus groups.

Influencers played a central role. We brokered a partnership with the anonymous street artist Bambi, whose artwork became a recognisable motif across campaign materials. We also produced a video with Bambi to launch a network of Love Not Landfill clothes banks across London.

To reach young audiences where they already are, we combined digital creativity with real-world experiences. We delivered workshops in London schools on swapping and restyling clothes, and ran three public campaign phases: a Swap & Style event at a textile recycling facility; the launch of branded clothes-recycling banks; and a Brick Lane pop-up shop curated by leading fashion influencers.Barley supported the campaign with targeted media outreach, listings, previews and influencer engagement to spark conversation and encourage participation on and offline.

Results

#LoveNotLandfill quickly established itself as a credible youth sustainability brand. The campaign generated widespread coverage across national, consumer and broadcast media, including The Sun, Sunday Mirror, ITV London and BBC Radio London, with in-depth features on MailOnline, Marie Claire and Huffington Post.

More than 700 contributors shared campaign messages on social media, helping it reach over 2.4 million people. The campaign video attracted 90,000+ views, and the Brick Lane pop-up welcomed 2,000 visitors over four days, generating around £15,000 in sales of pre-loved clothing.

The strong creative identity helped secure partnerships with major retailers including Topshop, ASOS and Westfield, further expanding reach and visibility. Although initially conceived as a one-year initiative, the youth communications campaign is now in its third year, with ongoing demand for ReLondon spokespeople and continued media interest. One year in, more than 60% of the target audience were aware of the brand — and most had changed their behaviour as a result.

  • 101m

    opportunities to see/hear

  • 2.4m

    reached on social media

  • 90k

    video views

  • 2,000

    pop-up visitors

  • £15k

    pre-loved clothing sales

“

Working with Barley Communications on our Love Not Landfill campaign has been not only enjoyable but hugely fruitful: we obviously loved the campaign already, but were overwhelmed by the attention and support that Barley helped us achieve. They didn’t just deliver media relations but helped us with the whole approach, including ideas generation, social media management and film production. They also hooked us up with some great partners, collaborators and creative specialists along the way. The whole Barley team has been enthusiastic, cheerful and eminently practical at every stage – a flexible and responsive communications agency who’ve delivered reach, impact and engagement beyond our expectations.

Ali Moore

Head of communications and behaviour change, ReLondon

The brief

The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) sought brand and communications support to improve understanding of its role and strengthen perceptions of chiropractic regulation. Barley was asked to review existing materials, engage stakeholders, and develop a strategy to ensure clear, consistent communication across all channels.

Insights and approach

We began with insight — interviewing chiropractors and stakeholders to understand how the GCC’s communications were perceived. It was clear the visual identity and tone of voice needed refreshing to better reflect the organisation’s authority and accessibility.

Barley delivered a refreshed visual identity and comprehensive brand guidelines to bring the GCC’s communications up to date. Working alongside a website partner, we created a new website with clearer content, a more intuitive user journey, and improved accessibility.To strengthen engagement with chiropractors, we introduced a monthly newsletter featuring continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities, patient perception insights, and updates from across the sector — ensuring regular, meaningful communication.

Results

The GCC now communicates with clarity and confidence, supported by a coherent strategy and consistent brand identity. Our work has helped foster stronger relationships with chiropractors, enabling better sharing of best practice and sector insight.For Mental Health Awareness, we supported the GCC in developing dedicated digital content — including a video message from the Chief Executive and a mental health resource pack — helping chiropractors access information and signposting on a vital issue for their profession.

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