How many of us have a fancy smartphone with a state-of-the-art camera, but only ever use it to take blurry selfies, snaps of our pets or our morning coffee, or wonky shots out of the aeroplane window? 

That’s the message of ‘Camera Roll,’ the disruptive campaign from Back Market, the leading marketplace for reconditioned electrical and electronic appliances. 

The humorous and thought-provoking print ads, created by Innocean Berlin, make a case for refurbished tech as the smart choice when it comes to technology. They take the form of a camera roll of suboptimal amateur snaps, with the tagline: “Trust us, last year’s phone will do.” 

“Every year, tech companies put out a new model of their flagship phones, with specs that are only slightly better than the ones from the year before, “ explained Gabriel Mattar, European CCO of Innocean Berlin. “But is it really worth the upgrade? Let’s just look at our camera rolls for a second. For 99% of the pictures we take, an older phone would get the job done just as well.” 

In contrast to typical smartphone campaigns, which are keen to trumpet their capacity for beautiful photography, the new ads take a more realistic approach, as well as having an environmental message: the goal of the campaign is to raise awareness for a more sustainable consumption of technology. 

As Alexandra Brandt, Back Market’s head of marketing for Germany, added: “E-waste is a very big problem in today’s world. We all want to have a great phone with an excellent camera, but that shouldn’t come at the planet’s expense. Back Market offers an array of expertly renewed phones (and other devices), that deliver top performance with a much lower impact on the environment, and on your pocket”.