Electrolux: Electrolux | Vac from the Sea

Home appliances maker Electrolux has unveiled five unique vacuum cleaners that have been made from plastic waste collected from the world’s oceans. The event marks the next chapter and continuation of the “Vac from the Sea” campaign created by Prime, Stockholm and Electrolux PR Studio and launched in July that aims to raise awareness around ocean plastic waste and inspire consumers and industry to recycle more.

Throughout the summer Electrolux collected plastic from the world’s major oceans and seas – in coral reefs, coast lines, sandy beaches and rocky crevices. All the material was sorted and documented and Electrolux’s research and design studios set to work creating the five unique vacuum cleaners each representing the ocean from which the plastic originates: The Pacific, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean and the Atlantic. The models are fully functional and have been built using the same core structure as the new Electrolux Ultra One Green-model. The plastic debris has been collected in partnership with organisations and people who already are engaged in the issue.

A design byproduct of working on such a global scale has been the discovery of distinct colourways that directly reflect the waste lifecycle that the collected plastics have been through. For example, in the Pacific Ocean the plastic has been virtually stripped of colour partly because of bleaching but more worryingly because ocean wildlife is attracted to brightly coloured plastic mistaking it for food.

The first phase of the campaign has already reached over 65 million people and tripled distribution of Electrolux’s green range. The next phase of the campaign will include a roadshow across major cities, museums and industry forums around the world. One of the Vacs from the Sea will be auctioned to raise funds for continued research in the field of plastic recycling.

The “Vac from the Sea” concept was developed by PR agency Prime Sweden and is the centrepiece of a global year-long campaign implemented in conjunction with the in-house Electrolux PR Studio. Prime’s brief was to drive distribution of Electrolux’s Green Range vacuum cleaners and raise awareness on the need for better plastic handling. They found the answer in the ocean and the issue of plastic waste, an environmental issue much overshadowed by CO2 emissions and climate change, but equally important, and to encourage people to buy green vacuum cleaners as a natural part of a green lifestyle.

A campaign blog at www.electrolux.com/vacfromthesea documents Electrolux’s quest with updates on the project, photography, testimonials, expert comment and debate bringing together scientists, city councils, the plastic industry and the volunteers who harvested the plastic from the oceans. It also offers inspiration on how to get involved and invites users to support one or more of the organisations involved in the campaign. This is supported by a far-reaching global media and blogger outreach targeting green, design, innovation, business, retail and political interest groups. A series of online videos about the quest will feature on the Electrolux site and be seeded internationally.
Jonas Magnusson, business segment manager at Electrolux’s Floorcare division, said: “The beauty of this campaign is that it is impossible to classify as it involves all parts of the company, from our CEO to sales, R&D and local staff. The impact it is having on Electrolux’s green product ranges is very powerful. We are leveraging our global brand to create a sustainable dialogue not just with our customers but with people in general. This is already helping to shift opinions around the world about recycling and highlights ways in which everyone can actually get involved and do to their bit to help solve the problem of plastic waste in our oceans.”
Jonas Bodin, creative director for the Electrolux account at Prime, said: “While there is a hazardous amount of plastics floating around in our oceans, on land Electrolux experiences scarcity of recycled plastics needed for making sustainable home appliances. This incongruity is at the heart of Vac from the Sea. It is not about what you make of plastic, but about where it comes from. We worked on the concept of plastic reincarnation where plastic takes different life forms over and over again, inspired by the largest concentration of ocean waste in the world - the Pacific Ocean garbage patch. It is a wake-up call and a reminder of one of the most important environmental issues today.”

Electrolux was founded 90 years ago by Axel Wenner-Gren with the values of leading innovation and design. His dream to improve quality of life has had a fundamental impact on homes around the world.

Follow the development of Vac from the Sea at www.electrolux.com/vacfromthesea, @vacfromthesea or www.facebook.com/electroluxappliances