Refurbished tech platform Back Market has upcycled one of it’s old out-of-home billboards to encourage eco-consciousness.
The platform has teamed up with Life After Ad co-founder Patrick Vernuccio, also known as the Frenchie Gardener, to upcycle the billboard in Peckham, London.
The pair took the billboard and upcycled it into a garden growbag, which was filled with locally sourced compost and plants. Gardeners Tayshan Hayden-Smith and Jack Hodgson distributed the growbags to Hackney City Farm, where the bags were used to create a “mini food forest”.
Back Market head of brand Luke Forshaw said: “Partnering with Patrick Vernuccio and Life After Ad has been an exciting opportunity to bring our shared values to life. At Back Market, we’re dedicated to fostering a circular economy, and this initiative truly embodies that commitment.
“Repurposing our old OOH ads into grow bags gives them a new beginning, just like our refurbished tech, and we’re incredibly excited to see the generation of the future learning how they can continue this mission.”
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The initiative was accompanied by a film that follows the process of creating the food forest, from dismantling the billboard to planting the forest.
The film will be available on Vernuccio’s YouTube channel and social media pages. It will also be shown on Hayden-Smith and Hodgson’s social media pages.
Back Market will host a workshop with a local primary school at Hackney City Farm to teach children the “the environmental power of small actions”.
Patrick Vernuccio added: “Life After Ad is about finding new, creative ways to transform waste into something meaningful. Through this initiative, we’re challenging the industry to rethink its environmental impact and enact genuine change.
“The partnership with Back Market was a natural fit, as they are deeply committed to extending the life cycle of electronics and reducing e-waste – a mission that aligns with our goal of promoting circular thinking, reconnecting people with nature and inspiring urban farms. Together, we’ve transformed old advertising materials into grow bags, demonstrating how creativity can turn waste into something that benefits both people and the planet.”
