CARE Explainer Videos: How Co-Creation and Storytelling Are Supporting Households to Become Circular #CareCircularHouseholds How can we talk about circular living in a way that feels tangible and relatable rather than abstract and out of reach? In our CARE project, we are using creative communication formats as a lever for change, not just as a way of sharing project results. Through co-creation and storytelling, we are engaging with households across Europe to turn complexity into connection, and words into action. It all started with a blank board and many of questions No curated messages. No press releases. Just a digital blank board, a few sticky notes, and a shared sense of exploration: What does circular living really mean to people? What inspires action? What kind of words feel inclusive—and which feel out of reach? At the start of the project, the CSCP invited project partners into a co-creative, storytelling process as a means toward achieving important project goals: increasing and enhancing circularity in European households. The idea was to jointly develop a format that could support involved actors not merely with simplifying complexity, but also with making it understandable and accessible. “At the heart of CARE is a co-creation approach. We wanted to create a language that empowers, not instructs — and that reflects the everyday reality of households,” says Eva Rudolf, Senior Designer at the CSCP and Creative Lead for CARE. The insights from these workshops became the foundation for CARE’s entire communication strategy. Shaping not only its tone and narratives, but also its visual storytelling and overall design approach. From key phrases to Circular Friends To bring these messages to life, the team developed CARE’s Circular Friends, a group of illustrated characters that reflect real people: diverse in age, background, and lifestyle. Created by CSCP’s Sophie-Anne Val, these figures are intentionally imperfect. “I didn’t want to draw idealised characters. I wanted to create figures that felt familiar and approachable, like someone you might know,” she explains. The Circular Friends were designed to be inclusive and relatable, representing the many realities of households across Europe. They replaced the idea of individual “heroes” with companions who reflect community, care, and shared responsibility. Bringing stories to life through video These characters became the heart of CARE’s two explainer videos, created in partnership with the animation studio Lichtspieler and illustrated by Kirsten Piepenbring. The goal: to communicate circular practices around food and clothing in a light, accessible way without losing sight of the importance of the topic. From the first draft to final animation, the process was highly collaborative. The scripts were shaped by the CSCP content team—Katrin Hüttepohl, Eva Rudolf, Nikola Berger—and the CARE Communication & Dissemination group, where each project partner played an active role. “What stood out in this project was how much care went into every word. The team really wanted to speak with households, not at them,” says Katrin Hüttepohl, Communication Manager at the CSCP. The videos are already supporting pilot activities in five countries and will become part of a CARE toolbox for wider use by the end of the project. You can watch the videos below! Make every meal count By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.Learn more Load video Always unblock YouTube Show your clothes you CARE By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.Learn more Load video Always unblock YouTube Communication as connection At the CSCP we do not approach communication as an add-on, but rather as a strategic component of how change happens. By combining storytelling, design, and a co-creative spirit, the CARE project makes sustainability feel not only possible, but relevant and attainable to people with different backgrounds, languages, and lived experiences. “Good communication doesn’t simplify reality. It makes it accessible. It turns data into direction, and strategies into stories,” notes Katrin Hüttepohl. You can take a closer look at how CARE is communicating across channels to increase impact: from posters to explainer videos, from project website to policy briefs, each element reflects a shared commitment to clarity, inclusion and relevance. Our colours, words and formats are designed with care to connect meaningfully with diverse audiences. Follow along and stay in touch! Check out the CARE website for details on the project work and follow CARE on LinkedIn and Bluesky for the latest updates and to engage with us! For further questions, please contact Katrin Hüttepohl.