RetuRO humanizes Romania’s new recycling system through personal narratives

One year after implementing Romania’s deposit-return system (SGR/Sistemul de Garanție-Returnare), RetuRO partnered with Ringier to shift public perception from bureaucratic obligation to community participation. 

The challenge: increase tolerance and adoption of a system that requires Romanians to actively return packaging for deposit refunds.

The strategic pivot: “Collecting Stories”. Rather than explaining the technical mechanics of bottle returns, the campaign frames RetuRO as a collector of experiences and personal testimonials. The insight: people don’t resist recycling systems, they resist disruption to their routines. Show them how others integrate it seamlessly, and resistance drops.

Content centers on three mini-documentaries featuring an influencer, a student, and an athlete, each demonstrating how RetuRO fits into different lifestyles. Supporting editorial published on Libertatea (mass appeal) and GSP (sports audience), with social amplification through Facebook and Instagram Stories.

Deliverables: 3 produced videos (full production: scripting, casting, location shooting), 3 dedicated articles, social media distribution package.

Performance: 93.6k video views, 240k social reach, 7.7k article page views.