The single-minded proposition is a fine thing. But some of the most remarkable campaigns ever made refused to be single-minded. Kill Two Birds With One Stone finds the hidden overlap between two apparently unrelated problems — and builds the campaign at the point where they meet. Here are seven creative tactics that do just that.
- Turn your retail space into someone else's solution
- Turn a waste stream into a resource
- Turn a cultural symbol into a social movement
- Turn a product launch into a platform for a cause
- Turn unused assets into a shared economy
- Turn an animal welfare crisis into a healthcare solution
- Turn a customer nuisance into a product feature
1. Turn Your Retail Space Into Someone Else's Solution
Use the footfall you already have to solve a problem that has nothing to do with what you sell.
Home For Books — IKEA, DDB, 2019
Sixty percent of Italians don't read a single book a year. IKEA stores, meanwhile, were full of bookcases displaying fake books — decorative props that contributed nothing. For the anniversary of the BILLY bookcase, DDB replaced every fake book across Italian stores with real ones, in partnership with IBS, Italy's biggest book supplier. The entire store became a library. In-store events followed — writers met journalists, illustrators met children, musicians created live soundtracks for emerging authors — streamed online through IKEA's channels. A bookcrossing programme was launched across all Italian stores.
Renault's Plug Inn (Publicis, 2023) used the same logic in reverse — instead of turning a brand's space into a resource, it turned private homeowners' driveways into a charging network. The peer-to-peer app connected electric car drivers to home charger owners across France, solving the dead-zone problem for long-distance EV drivers while creating a new income stream for hosts. Airbnb for charging spots.
2. Turn a Waste Stream Into a Resource
Find the thing being thrown away — and make it do something useful.
Beer Bottle Sand — DB Export Beer, Colenso BBDO, 2018
Sand is used in everything from construction to pharmaceuticals, and two-thirds of the world's beaches are retreating as a result. DB Export built a fleet of machines that pulverise empty beer bottles into sand substitute in five seconds — a laser triggers a wheel of steel hammers spinning at 2,800rpm, a vacuum removes silica dust and plastic labels, and 200 grams of sand substitute remains. DB Export secured a two-year supply deal with Drymix, New Zealand's biggest producer of bagged concrete, alongside national roading projects, residential construction, and golf bunkers. To keep the machines running, New Zealanders simply had to empty a bottle of DB Export.
Corona's Plastic Fishing Tournament (We Believers, 2021) turned the plastic routinely caught in Mexican fishermen's nets — over 750 million pieces enter the sea each year — into a second source of income. Corona bought the plastic by the kilogram at the same price as fish, and connected fishermen directly with local recycling companies. The waste that was being thrown back into the ocean became the product.
3. Turn a Cultural Symbol Into a Social Movement
Take something already embedded in the culture — and load it with new meaning.
The Odd Dot Selfie — PSA, Asiatic MCL, 2024
In Bangladesh, the 'Tip' — the decorative dot worn on the forehead — is a traditional symbol of beauty and strength for Bengali women. The Odd Dot Selfie campaign transformed it into a rallying cry against gender-based violence: women were invited to wear a misplaced or irregular Tip and share their stories of abuse, turning a mark of cultural pride into a visible act of solidarity. Over 100 celebrities and influencers joined, sharing their own experiences. Within 30 days, more than 68,000 women had participated, making #OddDotSelfie the top trending hashtag across social media platforms.
Sons of Solidarity (Grey, 2019) borrowed a different cultural symbol — the Icelandic surname suffix "-son," present in many national surnames, including "Parkinson" — to raise awareness of Iceland's disproportionately high Parkinson's disease death rate. Players wore "Parkinson" on the back of their shirts in the last match before the World Cup, creating solidarity between the national team and sufferers in a single typographic gesture.
