HP: Create What's Next

Edelman & HP

Create What’s Next aimed to enhance awareness and participation in HP’s Planet Partners ink cartridge recycling program by countering the growing consumer belief that individual actions are ineffective in combating the climate crisis.

The Campaign

Create What's Next HP x Germane Barnes Showcase

Meet the Team

Jaclyn Montalvo

Print Communications, HP

Collaborative, results-oriented communications professional with a proven track record of driving high-impact global campaigns and launching industry-first products and solutions. Passionate about connecting brands to culture by telling stories that leave a lasting impression/drive people to act. Excel at building strategic, integrated communications programs that advance business priorities.

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Lara MacKenzie

Head of Print Communications, HP

Transformational communications executive with a track record for leading high impact, strategic campaigns for global brands in both B2B and B2C technology.

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Chloe Riffe

Strategic Operations & Events Lead, HP

My love for sales and relationship development started at my childhood lemonade stand. Ever since then I have grown to love the complex dynamics of interpersonal relationships, creative approaches to the mundane and leading EVERYTHING with a humorous, entrepreneurial spirit. I believe that the line between our professional and personal lives is no longer as great a divide so my passions around Female Empowerment and Diversity and Inclusion are woven into the way I do business every day. I truly want to learn from everyone I am connected with and value any time you spend watching my videos or consuming my content.

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Sabrina DuVall

Supplies Marketing, HP

Skilled marketing professional with experience as both an individual contributor and a leader within cross-functional teams, both internally and with external partners. Core skillset in building unified strategies and leading the conceptualization of strategic frameworks.

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Mariama Kabia

Digital Equity Accelerator Lead, Social Impact, HP

Serveing as Digital Equity Accelerator Lead, Social Impact at HP Inc, working with colleagues and partners to move progress towards HP's goals of accelerating digital equity for 150M people by 2030.

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Germane Barnes

Studio Barnes, Artist

A tenured professor and internationally recognized designer.

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Will Deutsch

Creative Director, Edelman

Making mighty good work with darn good people.

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Janice Ng

Design Director, Edelman

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Marc Glanville

Executive Producer, Edelman

With 15 years in promotional and experiential marketing, Marc has a proven track record in leveraging market trends to create new business opportunities while growing existing brands. Understanding that content and user experience is everything. He aims to create unique engagements that emotionally connect brands with consumers.

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Erin Lundberg

Senior Vice President, Edelman

Driven communications professional who is passionate about people, stories, culture, and cultivating joy in the workplace. Responsible for building strategic communications programs that advance business priorities.

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Dan Perlowitz

Senior Vice President at Edelman

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Stefi Markowicz

Account Supervisor, Edelman

Bringing a depth of knowledge in public relations, integrated campaigns, multicultural marketing and diverse scopes of writing for some of the agency's largest clients. I specialize in engaging audiences and driving behavior change by establishing key messaging, analyzing story angles, and conceptualizing compelling content that increases stakeholder and consumer awareness of brands and organizations.

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Describe your process for creating award winning B2B work. How is creativity at the center of how you work?

For Create What’s Next, creativity was harnessed to turn a routine, often overlooked action—recycling—into a powerful, tangible experience. We believe that creativity is not just about aesthetics; it’s about transforming abstract concepts into compelling narratives that drive action. By combining art with environmental activism, we created a B2B campaign that was not only on-brand but also deeply impactful, both for business and for the planet.

We all have a role to play in mitigating the climate crisis, and making consumers realize the power they hold in their individual actions was essential to achieve during the conception through execution of Create What’s Next.
Isabel Tuchman, PR Account Executive, Edelman

Walk us through your process. What steps did you take to bring your idea to life?

Ideation
We began by evaluating how customers felt about sustainability and their ability to make a positive difference at an individual level. The findings indicated one core insight—and an unusual paradox: the more anxious our audience became about climate change, the less likely they were to take action and recycle plastic like their ink cartridges. In recognizing this, we needed to wake our audience up to the fact that their actions—no matter how small—make a difference. And there was no better way to do this than to show them just how quickly their individual contributions add up. We conceptualized an interactive art exhibit where the recycling process would be brought to life visually and experientially. To bring the recycling process to life through art, we partnered with prolific artist Germane Barnes of Studio Barnes. Collaboration partners at Conservation International and MIT Solve provided expertise in climate action and social entrepreneurship, while HP’s retail partner Staples, provided a destination for consumers to easily return their cartridges. Timed to coincide World Environment Day on June 5, we launched Create What’s Next, an interactive art exhibit that pulled back the curtain on ink cartridge circularity and let visitors become part of the process themselves. When visitors entered the exhibit, they selected an ink cartridge and were immersed in the three-step circular recycling process, from disassembly to shredding to transformation. After experiencing the process, visitors were invited to print their own works of art or what a version of a more sustainable future looks like and were given envelopes to recycle their cartridges at home, becoming active participants in HP Planet Partners’ recycling program, and contributing to a more environmentally conscious world. The experience lived over a period of two days, seeing hundreds of VIP media and influencer visitors on day 1 and public visitors – including students and HP customers – on day 2. The team spread awareness of the exhibit and the HP Planet Partners program via owned, earned and paid media and through partnerships with influencers who embodied our sustainability-first mindset.

What was the business challenge of your project, and why was it important to solve it now?

Challenges
Create What’s Next aimed to enhance awareness and participation in HP’s Planet Partners ink cartridge recycling program by countering the growing consumer belief that individual actions are ineffective in combating the climate crisis. The climate crisis is at a tipping point, and the actions we take now will define our future. While millions of people are deeply concerned about climate change, many doubt that their individual efforts can make a real difference. This mindset and lack of knowledge around how to make a positive impact on the environment is not only hindering progress forward but is pushing us backwards. We all have a role to play in mitigating the climate crisis, and making consumers realize the power they hold in their individual actions was essential to achieve during the conception through execution of Create What’s Next.

Describe your process for creating award winning B2B work. How is creativity at the center of how you work?

B2B Creativity
For Create What’s Next, creativity was harnessed to turn a routine, often overlooked action—recycling—into a powerful, tangible experience. We believe that creativity is not just about aesthetics; it’s about transforming abstract concepts into compelling narratives that drive action. By combining art with environmental activism, we created a B2B campaign that was not only on-brand but also deeply impactful, both for business and for the planet.

How did the final product meet or exceed your expectations? What results did you see?

Execution
Create What’s Next turned what’s now into what’s next. After the activation, HP saw an increase in ink cartridge returns. The event saw more than 300 attendees and resulted in over 175+ press hits across regional, national, and lifestyle publications. Owned and paid social posts garnered 626k+ impressions. Across our target audience, HP saw a 23% lift in purchase consideration and a 17% increase in intent to recycle ink cartridges.

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What were some of the biggest learning and takeaways from this project?

Create What’s Next served as a reminder of the effectiveness of developing an integrated strategy that reaches diverse audiences. By combining owned, earned, and paid media with influencer partnerships, we were able to extend the campaign’s reach, engaging everyone from VIP media, influencers, students, art lovers and critics, and long-standing HP customers. This approach not only connected with those already passionate about sustainability but also individuals who were less familiar with HP and the brand’s sustainability initiatives, turning our goal of making sustainability accessible to all a reality.

Did you utilize LinkedIn in executing this project? What role does LinkedIn play in your greater B2B marketing strategy?

LinkedIn was key to raising awareness of Create What’s Next, leveraging HP executives’ platforms to highlight the event’s success and promote HP’s Planet Partners Ink and Toner Cartridge recycling program beyond the duration of the exhibit.

What does being recognized by the Webby Awards mean for you and your collaborators?

This recognition validates our commitment to creating purpose-driven work that not only meets business objectives but also contributes to global sustainability efforts. This serves as a testament to the power of collaboration, where art, technology, and environmental responsibility intersect to inspire meaningful change.