McDonald's Germany recycles 100% of its paper packaging to give it a second life. For example, in an own recycling loop, used cups are turned into paper for Happy Meal recycling books. But many people aren’t aware of the recycling and waste management efforts of McDonald’s. Unfortunately, a lot of packaging ends up on the streets or in nature. To counteract the growing waste problem, guests young and old need to be involved and understand that great things can be made from waste – if it is recycled. But how can McDonald’s make the complicated recycling process interesting for families?

McDonald's made recycling more tangible and livelier with stories about Robert, the waste-loving raccoon. As part of the Better M Roadshow, families were able to place their used drinking cups in the model of a recycling machine, in which the cups were turned into paper for a book in a simplified process. As a reward for the proper disposal, children were able to prompt their individual recycling story with Robert and themselves as heroes. Our AI generated a customized adventure with matching illustrations.

Children are the most important guests because they are the guests of tomorrow. So, we needed to involve them and their parents and teach them the benefits of recycling. Educationalists say that children learn best through stories – especially when they can identify with the characters. This is why the kids were able to create their own adventures about recycling – with themselves as the heroes and Robert, the waste-loving raccoon, as their buddy. The activation was part of a showroom experience where kids learned how to dispose of their packaging correctly.

In our showroom, families put their used paper cups into a simplified model of a recycling machine built especially for this purpose. The process consisted of four phases: Crushing, mixing and stirring, sieving and pressing. The children and their parents watched the exemplary transformation from cup to paper through transparent windows. Afterwards, kids prompted their character with name, clothes, and hair style as well as the key elements of the story like location, activity and special super-power. Our AI results from ChatGPT and Cream AI were combined to create a full story. Graphic Designers made the finishing touches. Then the families received their stories as digital version. The experience took place in a mobile showroom on a tour in Munich and Berlin from mid-July to mid-August 2023.

The stories of Robert inspired children, who learnt about the responsible use of resources, and parents, who perceived the campaign very positively. People praised the attempt to encourage more people not to throw their rubbish on the street but to see it as a recyclable material that can be turned into something new if disposed of correctly. Upon request, 9 out of 10 families said that they better understand the value of recycling.