Professor Mugge challenges throwaway culture
Pick up your screwdriver and glue gun! In a new SIRE campaign, IDE’s Ruth Mugge is encouraging us to repair – not replace - damaged goods.
With the campaign, which started on Monday 9 September, SIRE (Stichting Ideële Reclame) wants to make people think about the value of their things. The online platform repareerhet.nl offers the consumer a helping hand to repair it yourself, repair together or have it repaired. The campaign will be seen everywhere: TV, radio, online, newspapers, magazines, cinema, outdoor and social media.
IDE Professor of Design for Sustainable Consumer Behaviour, Ruth Mugge, supports the campaign:
"We know that many Dutch people see barriers when they consider repairing products. The SIRE campaign is aimed at removing some of these barriers and increasing the motivation to repair. Repairing yourself gives a lot of satisfaction. People are proud when they have repaired something themselves. We also see that reflected in research. In addition, repairing is of course also good for your wallet and the environment. And once you have successfully repaired something, chances are that you will pick up a screwdriver or glue gun again. That is what this campaign wants to stimulate."
The campaign has attracted a lot of Dutch media intention, including the Trouw, De Telegraaf, EditieNL, Algemeen Dagblad, Adformatie, Fonkonline. Also RTL News, Nu.nl and NOS News and even the international media, such as BBC News paid attention.
Ruth delivered her inaugural lecture ‘Sustainable Consumption: Contradictio in terminis or intriguing design challenge?' on Friday 10 May.