Urban Utilities

Every year, Queensland Urban Utilities spends $200 million dealing with clogged pipes caused by people flushing the wrong things. To tackle this, they needed a creative campaign that would connect with Queensland families and drive real behaviour change. Our answer? The No. 3 campaign—an unexpected, playful way to talk about what shouldn't go down the loo. What’s a No. 3, you ask? Simple—anything that doesn’t belong, like wet wipes, tissues, tampons, medication, shopping lists, and yes, even old prawn heads!

To sidestep the awkwardness of toilet talk, we used humour to shape the campaign’s quirky, bright aesthetic. The No. 3 concept made people rethink their flushing habits in a fun and relatable way, all while emphasising that improper flushing costs Queensland Urban Utilities millions every year. In fact, around $1.5 million is spent each year fixing sewer blockages caused by No. 3s, with an additional $400,000 going toward disposal at sewage treatment plants. And it worked—within a month, nearly 30,000 people engaged with the campaign, and research showed a significant drop in the number of Queenslanders flushing problem items. Real impact, one flush at a time.

Work produced at New Word Order.