MobileMuster Announce New Brand Campaign

From being left in a washing machine, to being crushed on a disco dancefloor, every dead phone still holds value.

Almost 13 million dead phones are sitting unused in Aussie homes, with 96% of the materials able to be recycled and reused. MobileMuster has developed a new campaign with the tagline “However it dies, recycle it with MobileMuster” to grab attention and drive mobile recycling action.

Research shows just over one-in-three Australians currently have at least one non-working mobile phone in their homes, yet many don’t know how or why to recycle them. Whether a phone met its fate underwater, in the laundry, on the dancefloor, or simply faded away in a drawer, 96% of its materials – including precious metals and plastics – can be recovered and repurposed into new products, keeping them out of landfill and in the circular economy.

To kick-off the campaign and bring the message to life, three large-scale, interactive installations have been unveiled in high-traffic Sydney locations, each reimagining these everyday disasters as larger-than-life artworks — a glowing ocean scene with a cracked handset nestled inside a clam; a front-loader washing machine with a lonely sock marking the crime scene; and a sparkling disco setup where sequined boots trample a pile of old mobiles under shimmering lights.

Washing Machine execution on Parramatta Rd, St Peters.

The ‘Disco’ execution by Marrickville Town Hall

This campaign is being supported by social media posts by influencers Nick and Carrie on both Instagram and TikTok, with PR in train.

Phase 2 of this campaign consists of a series of hilarious user-generated content pieces, showing interesting ways phones have died, followed by the tagline “however it dies, recycle it with MobileMuster”. This will be backed by a national outdoor push, with visuals showing contextual ways phones can die. Watch the videos below.

David Robb, Head of MobileMuster, says:

“Almost 13 million mobiles are sitting idle in homes across Australia. Whether it’s cracked, drowned, or or run over in the driveway it can still be put to work again through recycling. We’ve all got at least one ‘phone death’ story. The ‘However It Dies’ campaign turns those mishaps into a moment to act. The installations aren’t just memorable — they’re a reminder that spring cleaning isn’t complete until your old tech is dealt with the right way.”

MobileMuster offers thousands of drop-off points nationwide through participating Telstra, Optus and Vodafone stores, local councils and retailers. Phones can also be recycled via reply post labels and free mailing satchels, available from participating outlets or ordered online. Find your nearest drop-off point at: www.mobilemuster.com.au/recycle-a-mobile/

FAST FACTS

• 12.7 million unused phones are sitting in homes across Australia.

•34% of Australians have at least one broken, unused phone in storage.

• 95.8% of materials in a phone can be recovered and reused.

• MobileMuster has collected and recycled over 16 million handsets since 1998.

For more information, contact mobilemuster@amta.org.au