The Campaign

Every year 5 million hectare forests come under axe to make paper, which is largely used for printing. In 2011, International Year of Forests, Samsung Printers set out to save paper to help our rapidly disappearing forests. We created a simple idea and introduced Minus One Project - Reduce the font size by 1. Save paper. Help the forests. It was a simple solution to a complicated problem. Unlike other social messages it didn't ask people to give up on anything. People felt empowered on knowing that they can help save forests even while doing their daily work. Minus One was adopted by organisation, institutes, schools and individuals. It changed the image of Samsung Printers and presented Samsung Printers as an eco-friendly company that talks smart solutions. Minus One Project was launched through an integrated campaign. Digital, Radio, outdoor and ambient mediums were used to develop Minus One as a habit. Seminars in offices, colleges and schools helped in wider adoption of the idea. In print media we did an innovation by reducing the font size of a classic novel by 1. The Minus One edition provided a hands-on experience to the book lovers while inspiring other publishers and authors to join the drive. Thereby, reducing paper consumption in the publishing industry. Minus One gave a whole new meaning to sustainable development. Minus One Project created a lot of positive buzz for Samsung Printers on social network, blogs, news channels, news papers and other media.

The Brief

The goal of the campaign was to start an initiative that involves people and sparks conversations. And to generate positive buzz for Samsung Printers. In our research we found that most of the public awareness message fail because they ask people to give up something or are too tough to follow.

Results

73 Organisations and schools adopted the idea. Over 150 000 people pledged to practice Minus One. Minus One Edition saved more than 350 000 paper sheets. 39 book titles are now available in Minus One edition. Samsung Printers got a lot of positive buzz on social network, blogs, news channels, newspapers and other media.

Execution

Minus One Project was launched through an integrated campaign. Digital, Radio, outdoor and ambient mediums were used to develop Minus One as a habit. Seminars in offices, colleges and schools helped in wider adoption of the idea. To demonstrate the power of Minus One we did an innovation in print media by reducing the font size of a classic novel by 1. The Minus One edition provided a hands-on experience to the people while inspiring other publishers and authors to join the drive. Thereby, reducing paper consumption in the publishing industry. Minus One gave a whole new meaning to sustainable development.

The Situation

Every year 5 million hectare forests come under axe to make paper, which is largely used for printing. In 2011, International Year of Forests, Samsung Printers set out to save paper to help our rapidly disappearing forests. Printers as a category has always been associated with harming nature. All the recycling programs never generate a connect with people and stay hidden most of the time. So the need was to create a campaign in which everyone becomes the part of the process.

The Strategy

Based on our research, we came up with a simple idea. Minus One Project - Reduce the font size by 1, Save paper. Help Forests. Unlike other public service messages, it didn't ask people to give up on anything. In fact, it empowered people to save forests even while doing their daily chores. Our main targets were offices, schools and colleges - places where most of printing happens. We also targeted Publishing Industry for it happens to be the larges consumer of paper. And not many attempts have been made by the industry to save paper. So we saw it as an opportunity to turn an industry green and generate a lot of buzz for our initiative.