Case Study: Plastic Free July Campaign for The Den Refillery
The Den Refillery: Plastic Free July Campaign
Turning a global movement into local momentum, one refill, one action, one conversation at a time.
THE CHALLENGE
Plastic Free July is a global awareness campaign, but it can sometimes feel distant or overwhelming. The Den Refillery wanted to make it personal—something that sparked real, tangible action in our small coastal community, while deepening their role as a trusted, values-driven shop. The goal was to empower people to engage, learn, and take action without shame or perfectionism.
THE APPROACH
We built a multi-channel campaign grounded in everyday swaps and community connection, combining online storytelling with on-the-ground activation.
Key campaign elements included:
Daily Tips & Swaps: Simple, visual plastic-free ideas customers could try right away, featuring The Den’s product offerings in accessible ways.
Weekly Shareable Challenges: From post-surf beach cleanups to starting a plastic swear jar or signing petitions for nationwide bans (like uncovered foam docks), each challenge gave the community something meaningful to do—and talk about.
Educational Content: Bite-sized lessons on microplastics, ocean plastics, and the ripple effect of individual choices, all rooted in the local context of Vancouver Island.
Partner Promotions: We amplified initiatives from aligned organizations like Surfrider to help people plug into the broader movement.
Community Cleanups & Workshops: We co-led a harbour cleanup in Ucluelet and took part in a remote clean-up of Begg Island with partners. At both events, I facilitated hands-on workshops exploring the sources and solutions of ocean plastic pollution, tailored to real questions and lived experiences of participants.
THE RESULTS
The campaign deepened community engagement and sparked meaningful action, both online and in person. Brand awareness grew, with more people connecting The Den’s values to their own daily choices. Staff noticed an increase in customers arriving not just to shop, but to learn, often referencing content from the campaign or bringing friends along to join in.
The clean-ups themselves had a tangible environmental impact: bags of waste were removed from sensitive coastal areas, including foam dock debris, fishing gear, and microplastics. But the ripple effect extended further—people walked away from the events feeling informed, empowered, and more connected to local solutions.
Throughout the month, the campaign reinforced The Den’s role as a trusted resource and community hub. It aligned the brand with a global movement in a way that felt personal, local, and hopeful. Ultimately, it helped shift awareness into aligned action, sparking conversations, building habits, and reinforcing the value of conscious consumption.