Australian environmental ad warns 'tossers' they're always watched

The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in Australia is turning an age-old slogan on its head in a new campaign that shows how every careless toss can have lasting consequences for wildlife.

Created by 303 MullenLowe Sydney, the 30-second spot anthromorphises a magpie and brings it to life not as a cute, cuddly bird, but as a sharp-eyed whistleblower who confronts a man carelessly littering on its turf.

The Aussie slang 'tosser' also gets a reboot. Once used to (very derogatorily) describe someone who lacks intelligence or humility, it's now repurposed as a pointed label for litterers. In this ad, it's not just a throwaway insult, but a callout to harmful and irresponsible behaviour. In the end, the magpie's aggressive shaming works: the man picks his trash up before driving off.

In its research, 303 MullenLowe Sydney found that the campaign's key audience—men aged 18 to 44—often downplay literring if done out of sight. In addition, the research found that 95% of beach litter originates from suburban streets, carried by rain and runoff into drains and water ways. This shows how each piece of trash can have widespread consequences. The campaign ties into the NSW Government’s Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy, which targets a 60% reduction in litter by 2030. 

The agency worked with NSW EPA and the Litter Prevention Unit to build on the long-running 'Don’t Be a Tosser' platform, which was launched in 2014.

“We know that anonymity increases people’s propensity to litter. Young men in particular are less likely to drop litter when people are around or they are closer to home, so we needed to shift from evoking social shame when people are watching, to personal shame in the moment. To ensure their emotional response would over-ride convenience led excuses,” said Jody Elston, chief strategy officer at 303 MullenLowe Sydney.

The campaign spans TVC, BVOD, SVOD, radio, digital and social, OOH and CALD.

Campaign's take: Visually, it's simple—just two main characters, human versus animal, coexisting in a parking lot. But it's the spot's satirical humour, sharply delivered with a bold dose of sarcasm, that shines. The punchline is both tragic and painfully funny: "The last time you tossed a bottle top like that, you choked me, mate.” Laden with wit and irony, the campaign makes the environmental message hard to ignore: nature's had enough. In this ad, there aren't any sappy appeals, rather, it strikes a chord with Australians to empathise with wildlife through cutting, comedic lines that stick.

CREDITS