The Dog Shit Show

The Dog Shit Show is a large-scale community environmental awareness campaign centred around an 18-metre inflatable dog poo that travels between cities as a public spectacle. The campaign uses scale, humour, and shock to draw attention to the environmental impact of dog waste that is not properly disposed of, encouraging dog owners to reflect on their everyday behaviour in shared public spaces.
This project was selected as a 2024 AGDA Student Finalist.

Australia is home to approximately 6.3 million dogs, producing an estimated 52,000 tonnes of dog poo per month — roughly the weight of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Despite regulations requiring immediate disposal of dog waste in public places, around 40% of dog owners do not pick up after their dogs.

A common misconception is that dog poo is “natural” and beneficial for plants. In reality, when left on the ground it becomes a pollutant, contributing to environmental contamination and public health risks.

The challenge was to communicate an uncomfortable and often ignored issue in a way that:

• Captures public attention in busy urban environments
• Avoids moralising or shaming
• Encourages reflection and behaviour change through engagement rather than enforcement

The core idea was to make the invisible impossible to ignore.
By transforming dog waste into a travelling public “show”, the campaign exaggerates the scale of the problem to create curiosity, conversation, and awareness. The oversized inflatable acts as both a visual landmark and an educational prompt, supported by clear messaging and campaign graphics that explain the environmental impact of unmanaged dog waste.
Humour is used deliberately to lower resistance, allowing a serious message to be delivered in an approachable and memorable way.

The visual identity was designed to work across large-scale physical environments and supporting campaign materials, ensuring consistency and impact wherever the show appears.
Key design considerations included:

• High visibility and legibility in outdoor public spaces
• Bold typographic hierarchy for quick comprehension
• A flexible visual system adaptable to signage, posters, and digital content

The campaign was refined through feedback and iteration to balance humour, clarity, and sensitivity in public contexts.

The primary audience is dog owners who do not consistently pick up after their dogs.
The campaign aims to:

• Challenge misconceptions about dog waste
• Increase awareness of environmental consequences
• Encourage responsible behaviour and proper disposal

The project resulted in a cohesive campaign concept that demonstrates how large-scale environmental design and visual communication can be used to raise awareness and prompt behaviour change in public spaces. The outcome highlights a campaign system designed to engage communities through humour, clarity, and high-impact visuals.

• Campaign concept development
• Visual identity and messaging
• Environmental and campaign design
• Motion and digital asset exploration