One of the most important sustainability partnerships in the live events space has just landed in Ireland. In a significant media campaign Ireland development, EXP, the experiential arm of Boys + Girls, has been appointed as experiential agency partner for Re-turn, the operator behind Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme.
The three-year agreement follows a competitive pitch and sets the stage for a nationwide programme designed to boost awareness, participation and on-the-ground recycling behaviour at some of the country’s busiest public events. For marketers, event organisers and sustainability leaders alike, this is a notable example of how a media campaign Ireland strategy can blend live experiences, public engagement and measurable behavioural change.
Media campaign Ireland: what EXP’s appointment means for Re-turn
Under the new partnership, EXP will create and deliver a national experiential programme for Re-turn across major cultural and consumer gatherings. The activation schedule is expected to include high-profile events such as:
- Bloom
- All Together Now
- Electric Picnic
- National Ploughing Championships
These events give Re-turn direct access to large audiences in places where drink containers are consumed in high volumes. That makes them a natural fit for an experiential strategy focused on education, participation and immediate action.
From an industry perspective, this media campaign Ireland story signals growing investment in campaigns that do more than raise awareness. The aim is not simply to tell people what the Deposit Return Scheme is, but to help them understand how it works in real time and why taking part matters.
The role of experiential marketing in driving recycling behaviour
Experiential marketing has become a powerful tool for brands and public initiatives that want to shift habits, not just perceptions. In this case, Re-turn and EXP are using live environments to make recycling more visible, easier to understand and more rewarding to act on.
The core idea is simple: meet people where they already are, remove friction and encourage action in the moment. That is especially effective at festivals, agricultural shows and mass-attendance events, where convenience and clarity often determine whether sustainability messaging translates into behaviour.
This media campaign Ireland initiative will centre on activations that help attendees identify eligible cans and plastic bottles and dispose of them correctly. Rather than relying solely on passive signage, the programme is expected to bring the scheme to life through staffed experiences, practical guidance and event-based engagement.
Why live activations work
Experiential campaigns are particularly effective when the objective is behaviour change. They can:
- Demonstrate how a system works in a real-world setting
- Create memorable moments that reinforce action
- Reduce confusion at the point of decision
- Encourage repeat behaviour beyond the event itself
- Generate measurable participation data for future optimisation
That is why this media campaign Ireland partnership is about more than event branding. It is about creating a repeatable behavioural framework that can improve year after year.
How the “Re-turn it Right” campaign will come to life
At the heart of the programme is Re-turn’s “Re-turn it Right” campaign. The message is designed to encourage festival-goers and event attendees to place eligible containers into designated orange bins, with proceeds supporting charities and local community groups.
This gives the campaign a dual purpose. It promotes correct recycling while also connecting consumer action to community benefit. That combination can be especially effective in a media campaign Ireland context, where audiences increasingly respond to practical sustainability initiatives with visible social impact.
According to the source material, EXP’s activations will focus on making recycling easier and more engaging at high-footfall events. The programme will also look at strengthening recycling infrastructure so that valuable materials stay within the circular economy rather than being lost to general waste streams.
Key objectives of the partnership
- Increase awareness of the Deposit Return Scheme
- Boost participation at major Irish events
- Support charities and community organisations through returns
- Improve on-site recycling infrastructure
- Encourage habits that continue beyond the event environment
For marketers, this is a clear example of a media campaign Ireland strategy that combines purpose, scale and operational delivery.
Why this matters for brands, agencies and event organisers
There are several reasons this appointment stands out in the wider Irish marketing landscape. First, it shows how experiential agencies are increasingly being trusted with long-term partnerships rather than one-off event activations. A three-year term gives EXP and Re-turn the opportunity to build consistency across multiple event seasons and refine the approach based on audience response.
Second, it reflects a bigger industry shift toward campaigns that can demonstrate tangible outcomes. Awareness is still important, but clients now want evidence of participation, engagement and social value. In that sense, this media campaign Ireland development speaks directly to current demand for accountable, action-led marketing.
Third, it underlines the strategic role of events in public behaviour campaigns. Festivals and national consumer gatherings are not just branding platforms; they are high-intensity environments where people can be nudged toward better decisions in real time.
EXP’s capabilities in experiential strategy, live activations, staffing, production and consumer engagement position it well to deliver that kind of integrated programme. For Re-turn, the benefit is a consistent experiential platform that can evolve with each season while keeping the message clear and familiar.
What to watch next in this media campaign Ireland story
As the programme rolls out across Ireland’s major events calendar, the marketing industry will be watching closely for indicators of success. Those could include stronger public understanding of the scheme, increased event-based container returns, smoother disposal systems and deeper community participation.
If the activations perform well, the partnership may also become a benchmark for future sustainability-led experiential work in Ireland. It has the ingredients that many brands are looking for: purpose, visibility, utility and the potential for measurable impact.
Ultimately, this media campaign Ireland partnership between EXP and Re-turn shows how live brand experiences can influence everyday habits in meaningful ways. By bringing the Deposit Return Scheme into some of the country’s biggest shared moments, the campaign has a strong chance of turning awareness into action—and action into lasting behavioural change.
For anyone tracking the evolution of experiential marketing, sustainability communications or public engagement strategy, this media campaign Ireland development is one to watch.
