It’s no secret that collaboration is essential to growth, but the how of it isn’t always so clear—and it’s the understanding of how that is a true competitive advantage. Join Adweek X, a uniquely formatted event on December 4 in LA, to unlock fresh perspectives, true collaboration and growth.
The costumed character’s name is Wasty, and he shuffles around town gathering up garbage. Sometimes, he peeks through windows to watch people’s wasteful household habits.
If that doesn’t immediately stir the holiday spirit, stick with it long enough to learn that Wasty’s not an eco-stalker. He’s an upcycler who turns trash into lovely luxury gifts that become must-haves, not throw-aways.
The oddball character—with a suit made of faux fur, leather bits, fabric swatches and other seemingly discarded bric-a-brac—shares the spotlight with actor Lola Tung for a just-dropped seasonal campaign from Coachtopia, a sustainability-minded offshoot of Coach.
The nascent brand, which debuted earlier this year, aims to make a point about overconsumption with its 90-second spot called “A Wasty Holiday” by “focusing not only on the joy of the season but also its underlying problems,” according to Joon Silverstein, Coach’s senior vp of global marketing, creative and sustainability and head of Coachtopia.
It’s not exactly Patagonia’s iconic “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad, but it may be a modern-day spiritual cousin in denouncing mindless consumerism.
Speaking to Gen Z
Coachtopia’s video, with a storybook setup and snowy backdrop, charts the path of both the oversized character and his soon-to-be human friend who share the same environmental concerns. The work comes from director Jason Yan Francis and Stockholm-based creative shop APE_CC.
The brand is targeting Gen Z with the campaign, per Silverstein, because “we know they keenly feel the conflict between their love of fashion and the impacts of the industry, and that this tension is especially pronounced for them during the holidays.”
