Veolia – Ashcycle: Transforming waste into sustainable building materials
Positioning a disruptive innovation as the new standard in circular construction.
Our client Veolia, in collaboration with several partners, has developed Ashcycle, a cutting-edge technical innovation. This process transforms ash from incineration centres into sustainable paving stones, a significant advance for the circular economy. The challenge? To take this innovation out of technical jargon and make it visible and desirable. Our mission was to amplify this launch to capture architects' attention and position Veolia as a key pioneer in sustainable construction.
Our approach:
- We designed a clear and accessible press release, working closely with all stakeholders, to explain this complex technical process in layman's terms and highlight its impact.
- We deployed a multi-layered media relations strategy for maximum impact, simultaneously targeting the local press, major economic/innovation media and the specialist press (construction, engineering).
- We created an experiential narrative by inviting key journalists to an immersive site visit to witness the Ashcycle process, and coordinated all interviews to ensure consistency of message.
Our results:
- 9 articles generated in key media outlets, ensuring both broad (business, innovation) and targeted (construction) coverage.
- 3 major TV appearances, bringing Ashcycle's innovation directly to the heart of the public debate on the circular economy.
- Strategic visibility achieved in the trade press, directly reaching the main target audience: architects and engineers.
- Successful positioning of Veolia as a pioneer transforming waste into valuable resources for the city of tomorrow.
By combining a strategic outreach approach with immersive field experience, we ensured that Ashcycle was perceived not as just another project, but as the future of sustainable construction.
At Brum Smith, we help brands turn their innovations into compelling stories.
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