Talking Broccoli Urges Kiwis to Cut Waste in TBWA\NZ Campaign

Kiwi households are some of the worst food wasters in the world, tossing out a staggering $2.9 billion worth of food every year. That’s around three trolleys’ worth per household - much of it perfectly good but left to wilt, rot or get lost in the fridge abyss. But what if the food had something to say about it?

To highlight the need for better meal planning to stop food waste and help households save money, TBWA\NZ brought food waste to life - quite literally - by turning neglected ingredients into brutally honest food critics. 

Played by comedian Josh Thomson, these oversized, irate ingredients aren’t afraid to tell Kiwi families exactly what they think of their meal-planning skills (or lack thereof). There’s the floppy broccoli - a little past its prime and fuming about it. A grape that’s literally falling apart mid-monologue and a peeved pear with a bone to pick. These characters appear in the home of a well-meaning family during mealtime to promote a practical message: do better meal planning - and don’t forget your free meal planner! 

Shane Bradnick, chief creative officer, TBWA/NZ, said, “We’re all guilty of buying food without a proper plan and end up throwing some away. Maybe an intervention from some angry broccoli, disgusted fruit and smelly salmon is exactly what we need to wake up and stop wasting food.”

“We know that life can be unpredictable, unexpected events pop up, dealing with leftovers can feel like a challenge or you're simply too tired to cook and opt for takeaways. By getting Kiwis to stay flexible and follow our meal planning steps, we believe we can help everyone in New Zealand to reduce their food waste and save time and money,” says, Juno Scott-Kelly, communications and marketing manager, Love Food Hate Waste. 

The three videos are paired with punchy print and OOH to drive the message home to all Kiwis: No one likes a bad review, but with Love Food Hate Waste’s new fool proof meal plan and simple steps, we can keep the Food Critics happy.