Urban Miner
Elkjøp Nordic launched Urban Miner, a campaign that rewarded customers—especially young gamers—with Minecoins (Minecraft’s in-game currency) for recycling old electronics. The concept drew a parallel between mining in Minecraft and mining valuable materials from e-waste in real life.
Customers could bring old gadgets to Elkjøp, Elgiganten, or Gigantti stores and receive Minecoins based on the recyclable value of the device. The campaign included educational content about the materials inside electronics and their environmental impact.
Campaign Overview
The Nordic region, like many parts of the world, faces a significant e-waste problem. Millions of electronic devices containing valuable and rare metals are hoarded in households instead of being recycled. At the same time, the target audience—youth and avid gamers—spend a great deal of time in digital worlds, often unaware of the environmental impact of their digital lifestyle. Elkjøp, the largest electronics retailer in the Nordics, and Microsoft, the creator of the world’s biggest mining game, Minecraft, saw a unique opportunity. They wanted to connect the virtual act of “mining” for resources in a game with the real-world act of recycling, encouraging a positive behavior change in a highly engaging and relevant way.
Problem
E-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream globally
Younger audiences are less engaged with traditional recycling campaigns
Gamers often lack awareness of the environmental cost of electronics
Elkjøp wanted to increase foot traffic and reinforce its sustainability credentials
Execution
The Core Idea: The campaign was built on the powerful metaphor of the “urban mine.” They posited that our cities and homes are an untapped mine of valuable resources—our old electronics. They then created a bridge between the virtual world of Minecraft, where players literally mine for resources, and this real-world concept.
Gaming Integration: Elkjøp and Microsoft launched the “Urban Miner” initiative. The campaign’s core mechanic was simple and brilliant: it rewarded Minecraft players with in-game currency for recycling their e-waste. Players would bring their old electronic devices to an Elkjøp store, and in return, they would receive a code for Minecoins (the in-game currency).
Guerrilla Marketing Elements:
Authentic Partnership: The collaboration between an electronics retailer and the world’s most popular mining game felt authentic and natural. It was a perfect blend of a physical retail brand and a digital entertainment brand.
Low-Cost, High-Impact: The campaign’s strength was its ability to leverage existing consumer behavior (playing Minecraft) and a major social problem (e-waste) to create a highly effective marketing tool. The cost of the in-game currency was minimal compared to the amount of positive brand association and earned media it generated.
Direct Call to Action: The campaign gave players a clear, tangible incentive to perform a specific action (recycling at Elkjøp), directly driving foot traffic and brand engagement.
Brand Impact
Positioned Elkjøp as a tech-savvy, eco-conscious retailer
Created a cultural bridge between gaming and sustainability
Engaged a hard-to-reach demographic with meaningful action
Strengthened brand loyalty through purpose-driven innovation
Results
The Urban Miner Campaign was a major success, resulting in the recycling of 17 tonnes of gadgets and driving a 13.8% increase in recycling at Elkjøp Nordic’s center. The initiative also rewarded participants with 9 million Mine Coins, effectively combining sustainability with engagement.
Lessons Learned
Gamification drives real-world behavior when tied to cultural touchpoints
Education + reward is a powerful formula for sustainability campaigns
Partnerships with beloved platforms (like Minecraft) can unlock new audiences
Retail can be a force for good when it connects commerce with environmental impact
Conclusion
The “Urban Miner” campaign is a masterclass in purpose-driven guerrilla marketing. By creating a clever, simple, and rewarding connection between the digital world and the physical world, Elkjøp and Microsoft successfully incentivized a positive environmental action. The campaign demonstrated that when a brand genuinely understands its audience and aligns its message with a higher purpose, it can achieve remarkable results, both in terms of business impact and positive social change.
