Merry Little Christmas

Agency

Dentsu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

Client

Zero Waste Malaysia

Product/Service

Environmental Services

Brief

In Malaysia, the issue of food waste is strikingly prevalent. As the ultimate foodie nation, we fall short when it comes to addressing food waste. The ramifications of this waste often go unnoticed, particularly during festive seasons, where the problem is exacerbated. Shockingly, Malaysia generates an alarming daily average of 17,000 tonnes of discarded food, and this figure balloons by 15-20% during festive periods. Our challenge was to raise public awareness during the Christmas season, in alignment with Zero Waste’s quest to establish a sustainable future free from waste.

Solution

This raises a thought-provoking question: who, in reality, benefits from all that surplus food? Delving into the less cheerful side of the holiday season, it becomes evident that the unintended beneficiaries of Christmas feasts are none other than the uninvited guests: rats, cockroaches, worms, and maggots.

In a whimsical and satirical spot, we vividly brought this paradox to life. It revolves around an extravagant Christmas feast, designed exclusively for these unlikely, pesky diners. The setting for this audacious spectacle is a miniaturised living space, artfully crafted to amplify the stark contrast between festive joy and the issue of food waste. The construction of this intricate set was a labor of love, with over 70 hours of meticulous work to bring it to life.

Each element, from the intricately designed furniture and the tiny carpet underfoot to the miniature photo frames and even the set itself, was painstakingly handcrafted using recycled materials. This resulted in the