‘Composting is Cali’
Digital Ads Case Study
How we helped CA.gov use comedy to authentically connect with constituents.
THE CONTEXT
California needed to get more residents composting, but let’s be honest: composting isn’t the most thrilling topic. The challenge was to break through the noise and make an important environmental issue feel fun, engaging, and accessible. Instead of dry educational messaging, we needed a campaign that would entertain, educate, and drive action — turning apathy into enthusiasm (and food scraps into compost).
THE WORK
We partnered with a Sacramento-based agency to develop an ad strategy and copy approach that leaned into humor as a way to stop the scroll and to make people laugh. By injecting personality and entertainment into the messaging, we transformed composting from a chore into a movement. The creative concepts focused on relatable, attention-grabbing storytelling, making it clear that composting is easy, impactful, and even a little fun.
WHAT WE DID:
Brand discovery and exploration
Ad copywriting and strategy
Collaboration and refinement
Comedy writing framework and coaching
THE OUTCOME
The campaign delivered higher impressions, clicks, shares, and views, proving that comedy can be a powerful tool for behavior change. More importantly, there was a measurable uptick in people using their compost bins, showing that when you make a topic approachable, people are more likely to take action. By meeting audiences where they were — on social, in a scroll-heavy digital world — we helped composting go from an afterthought to a simple, everyday habit.
THE TAKEAWAY
Even serious topics can benefit from a lighter, more engaging touch. By using humor, CA.gov was able to turn environmental responsibility into an accessible, entertaining conversation. One that didn’t just get attention but drove real change. Whether it’s composting or any other behavioral shift, the best campaigns don’t just tell people what to do, they make them want to do it.
