An advertising campaign to start a #RidTheLid movement, bring awareness of the toxins leached from plastic coffee lids and the negative environmental impact they leave.

1. It’s not me, it’s you!
Nicole Solis
Sonya Gonzales

2. Problem
Behavioral change can be a slow process and at
times met with resistance. However, most consumers
are happy to take advice from and listen to their
friends or close associates, they are happy to tweak
their behavior if there is a peer-related groundswell
impacting on cultural trends.
Tops Off is looking for consumers to rethink their use
of plastic lids and to consider alternatives to say no
to the addition of toxic and polluting elements on
our walk-to-work or mid-morning or after-lunch-pick-
me-up cup of Joe.
The problem is scale of conversation. Consumers
respond well to the client’s story but their media
reach is currently limited. Tops Off intends the
conversation to escalate across corporate and other
work-related environments, encouraging a ripple
effect of topless action among co-workers and
effectively designating the plastic lid to the landfill of
history.
Tops Off wants to target workers and students in
the Silicon Valley/SF Bay/Monterey Bay areas of
California with scope to grow the message via digital
media and word of mouth. Many of these people
are environmentally aware, possibly environmentally
responsible and active, Millennial/Gen X bunch
of people who work in corporate environments or
attend college. They are open to new ideas, care
about the world they are inheriting and want to
create change. They are leaders and influencers with
the potential to spread a habit among their wider
group. Technologically able, always connected,
passionate sharers, they have a wide group of
associates and friends, enjoying an active lifestyle
and are impatient, wanting change to happen
quickly.

3. Idea
It’s not me, it’s you. After completing research
and focus group efforts, we’ve found that users
don’t respond well to “perceived do-gooders”
or “preaching campaigns.” We’ve re-framed our
campaign to focus on the actual relationship that
people have with the coffee itself, rather than
just the negative impact of the lid alone. We are
personifying coffee as a relationship partner to the
user who is fed up with the synthetic wall (plastic lid)
that threatens to poison the relationship. Don’t toxify
the relationship!
Solution
We have created a set of creative executions in
which the client can leverage in order to start a
movement among the target audience in our new
campaign, It’s not me, it’s you. We have created
a broken-hearted icon made from a plastic lid and
placed it over several forms of coffee imagery to
create our posts on social media channels that our
target frequently consumes media from, such as
Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. We have also
created a Buzzfeed article that intrigues readers to
determine their dream dates by the type of coffee
they drink. Studies show that the different types of
coffee consumed reflect particular personality traits
in the drinker. This Buzzfeed article hosts the same
look and feel of a typical Buzzfeed News article
and is written in the same tone of voice which will
sit well as a piece native advertising. We have also
created a direct mail campaign that mails small
inexpensive “love letters” or “breakup letters” from
coffee at the threat of the ongoing toxic relationship
the consumer continues to engage in. Our “Love-
o-Meter” test showcases our quiz in a print format
against bus stops on the urban streets that the target
frequents.

4. Broken Heart Logo
The new logo showcases a broken heart plastic
lid to symbolize the heartbreak that coffee is
experiencing in the relationship with the user by
use of the lid.

5. Social Media
Our Facebook and Instagram posts showcase creative
copy that emphasize the relationship breakup with
coffee imagery and our new hashtag, #RidTheLid.
Facebook Post

6. Instagram Post

7. Snap Chat Filter
Our new Snapchat filter is cost effective and
encourages the target to use the medium’s art
tools to draw out our new logo on any plastic
lids they may see out in the world. User will be
encouraged to upload their real life art snaps
online with our hashtag, #RidTheLid.

8. Buzzfeed Article
This Buzzfeed article plays on the user’s
relationship with coffee according to personality
traits to match potential dates. Sticking to our love
and relationship theme, the article sits natively in
the medium and is written in the Buzzfeed tone of
voice.

9. Quiz
Coffee Love O Meter
How strong is your coffee relationship?
How often do you take your coffee out for a night
on the town? I.e. ordering coffee to-go when at a
coffee shop?
How often do you Netflix and chill with your
coffee? At home, just the two of you
Do you spoil your coffee with different outfits
throughout the week? I.e durable travel mugs or
ceramic coffee cups
Coffee is the first thing that pops into your mind in
the morning?
If you can’t find your perfect coffee around, you’re
quick to give up the chase and switch to another
Sometimes Often Never
Sometimes Often Never
Sometimes Often Never
Sometimes Often Never
Sometimes Often Never
Calculating Results....turn back of card for results.... Share your results and use #RidTheLid
If you answered “Often” to 3 or more of these questions...
It’s L-O-V-E.
You and your coffee have an unbreakable bond
together. Whether at home alone or out together,
you love coffee. You don’t try and cheapen coffee by
dressing it in tawdry and toxic plastic lids.
If you answered “Sometimes” to 3 or more of these questions...
You’re not in love, you’re in like.
You spend quality time with coffee often but don’t
make the extra effort to keep your relationship
pure. Do not rest of your laurels. Your carefree
nature may lead to a toxic relationship consumed
with cheap synthetic plastics.
If you answered “Never” to 3 or more of these questions...
Don’t say you love me if you don’t mean it!
Love is not ordering up a quickie. You don’t spend
enough quality time together. Love is not
cheapening coffee with just any old plastic lid. You
must make more of an effort to keep the
relationship pure.
For more info visit: Igotopless.org
Front Back
Quizzes will be left around coffee shops for consumers to take while
they wait for their order. These quizzes are designed to bring awareness
to the customer about their relationship with their coffee. A quiz poster
will also be posted at VTA bus stops, the front will be featured on the
outside glass of the bus stop, and the back will be featured in the inside
glass.

11. Direct Mail
Our mail campaign uses a creative approach to
the traditional mail advertisements. We’ve created
short “breakup letters” from coffee addressed to
the recipient. The cards are from specific types of
coffee and showcase our new logo and hashtag.

12. Dear Tatiana,
I’ve loved how patient and loyal you’ve been to me.
My dark and moody blend is not attractive to just
anyone. But I cannot keep quiet any longer. That cold,
hard synthetic wall you have placed between us is
threatening. I cannot withstand this toxic relationship.
Sincerely yours,
Black Coffee
p.s. I just can’t do this anymore.
Dear Tatiana,
I’ve loved how strong and bold you are. My quick
and intense blend is not attractive to just anyone.
But I cannot keep quiet any longer. That cold,
hard synthetic wall you have placed between us is
threatening. I can’t withstand this toxic relationship.
Sincerely yours,
Espresso
p.s. It’s not me, it’s you.
Dear Tatiana,
I’ve loved how soft and comforting you’ve been to
me. My milky, creamy blend is not attractive to just
anyone. But I cannot keep quiet any longer. That cold,
hard synthetic wall you have placed between us is
threatening. I cannot with stand this toxic relationship.
Sincerely yours,
Latte
p.s. Maybe we should just be friends.