Changemaker Award for Maas Cleanup
How to activate an entire city with smart, local media
One message: the clean-up date, more than 200 actions, and one website to choose your clean-up location.
The Maas River not only carries water, but also waste. That is why Maas Cleanup organizes one big cleanup weekend every year along the entire river. Clever Strategy a pro bono partner in Rotterdam: we invest our own hours in strategy, media choices, and coordination to get as many Rotterdam residents as possible involved. Not with large budgets, but with smartly deployed resources that hit exactly where it matters.
The Challenge
From good intentions to actual participation
Many Rotterdam residents consider a clean Maas River important, but do not automatically take the step to participate. Companies are willing, but only take action when given a clear signal. And with a limited budget, every message must contribute to a single goal: getting enough volunteers to all cleanup locations within two weeks of campaign time.
Strategy
Smart, affordable media that really gets people to take action
The strategy revolves around a single recognizable message and a mix of local media that helps people move from "seeing" to "doing."
Because we work pro bono, we spend every euro as economically as possible—without waste. We adjust the campaign weekly based on behavior: which places are well visited and where should extra attention be paid?
Media used
01
Digital screens
Digital screens in the subway and in busy areas of the city ensure daily visibility, precisely in the neighborhoods where clean-up campaigns are taking place.
02
Highway billboards
Highway billboards along major routes reach commuters at fixed times. Ideal for keeping the clean-up date top of mind.
03
Regional radio
Radio Rijnmond builds recognition: at home, at work, and on the road.
04
DPG news media
Placement in a trusted news context, such as the AD Rotterdams Dagblad newspaper, helps the message reach the entire city and increases credibility.
05
Mobile ads
Mobile ads on apps and websites drive direct traffic to the website where people can choose their clean-up location.
06
Meta
Meta channels such as Facebook and Instagram provide extra reach and enable retargeting of people who have previously shown interest.
Implementation
From broad recognition to direct action
The campaign deliberately ran at a steady pace:
Results
Visibility that truly motivates people to take action
01
Massive Rotterdam reach
Over 90,000 Rotterdam residents were reached through mobile ads, supplemented by strong visibility in the city, in the subway, and in news media.
02
High level of involvement in clean-up locations
More than 750 people clicked through to the list of cleanup locations.
03
Strong staffing in key positions
The most important locations in Rotterdam were well staffed.
04
Smart, cost-effective campaign optimization
Thanks to weekly optimization, the campaign was effective and economical—every message contributed to the same goal.
An approach that is easy to reuse
The power lies in simplicity: one clear message, a local media mix, and a rhythm that really motivates people to take action. This approach works year after year and can be replicated in other cities or future editions.
Winner of the Changemaker Award
During the campaign, we weren't just pulling the strings, we also contributed to the greater goal ourselves. With our own team, we stood on the waterfront and saw how you can make an immediate impact. We are proud that this effort was rewarded with the Changemaker Award during the Dutch Search Awards 2025 ceremony.
If you would like to discuss ideas, I would be interested in talking to you. We have completed many projects. It would be great to share our experiences and find out what we can do for you!
Call 010-752 39 41, or fill in the form below and we will contact you.
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