The City of Helsinki – Seagull Trash Patrol

Creative idea

Helsinki struggles with a persistent litter problem that affects both aesthetics and environmental health, costing millions each year. People litter without caring – but they do care about their tax money. So, we used it in the most absurd way possible: training seagulls to clean up trash. Yes, it's ridiculously costly, but far less so than the money spent on traditional cleanup. By flipping the narrative, seagulls, once symbols of litter, became champions of cleanliness and made people realize it’s just stupid to be a litterbug – if seagulls can do it, so can you!

Brand name: City of Helsinki
Advertiser / client: City of Helsinki
Product / service: City of Helsinki Urban Environment Division
Campaign name: Fixing the litter problem is so easy even seagulls can do it
Agency network: INDEPENDENT AGENCY
Agency: hasan & partners, Helsinki
Media agency: OMD Finland
Production company: hasan & partners
Agency chief executive officer: Riku Vassinen
Executive creative director: Tobias Wacker
Creative director: Ossi Honkanen
Art director: Hanna Tyrväinen, Niklas Nabb
Copywriter: Sini Teppola
Designer: Mikko Juhola, Jesse Heinilä, Jonni Aaltonen
Account director (agency): Barbara Sorsa, Maria Nordström
Pr director: Eva Kiviranta, Elina Hakola
Photographer: Östis Österlund, Aleksi Koskinen
Illustrator: Mikko Juhola
Film production: hasan & partners
Director: Aleksi Koskinen
Director of photography: Aleksi Koskinen
Screenwriter: Aleksi Koskinen, Sini Teppola
Agency producer: Östis Österlund
Post production: Aleksi Koskinen, Jesse Heinilä, Jonni Aaltonen, Santeri Enstedt
Post production producer: Östis Österlund
Additional company: Milla Stenström/City of Helsinki, Teina Ryynänen/City of Helsinki, Linda Horttanainen/City of Helsinki, Annina Rokka/City of Helsinki, Esa Nikunen/City of Helsinki, Kiia Koliseva/City of Helsinki, Mikko Hovi, Jaakko Utter, Nina Perälä, Outi Höylä, Arto Hokkanen, Jari Ikonen, Tuire Kaimio,