How a Producer Responsibility Organization Surpassed Its App Download Goals & Streamlined Recycling

Return-It

The Company

Return-It is a non-profit organization dedicated to making beverage container recycling convenient through a network of bottle depots and automated Express and Express & GO drop-off locations across British Columbia. By encouraging responsible returns, Return-It keeps waste out of landfills and advances local circular economy initiatives.

The Challenge

To improve the user experience, increase system efficiency, and motivate recurring recycling, Return-It set a firm deadline requiring all customer accounts to transition to its brand-new mobile app to use Express and Express & GO drop-off services. However, because the app was new, Return-It faced a tight timeline to migrate hundreds of thousands of existing web-based users while simultaneously introducing new customers directly to the app.

The Goal

Return-It set out to drive rapid app adoption cost-effectively without disrupting existing recycling habits. Their key objectives were to:

  • Drive 100,000 App Downloads by End of Year: Build a strong user base in less than 12 months.
  • Migrate Existing Express Users: Transition customers from the mobile website to the new app before the September mandate.
  • Capture New App Users: Attract new users to sign up directly through the app stores rather than through the website.
  • Establish App Attribution: Implement reliable tracking (SDK) to monitor actual installs and optimize spend in real time.

The Results

By deploying targeted App Download campaigns, paired with robust cross-platform tracking, Return-It easily surpassed its targets 6 months ahead of schedule:

125,000+ App Downloads

Surpassed the annual app download target in under 6 months ahead of the September deadline, reaching 125,000+ total installs. Digital ad campaigns drove 2,600+ app downloads to contribute to this goal.

$1.90 Cost per Download

Achieved exceptional cost efficiency on Google Ads through optimized multi-channel marketing, retargeting, and platform bidding strategies.

26% App Store Conversion Rate

Reached high-intent audiences across app stores, ensuring ad exposure translated directly into installs.

Our Key Responsibilities

We partnered with Return-It to develop and execute a targeted app adoption strategy across iOS and Android:

  • SDK Implementation & App Attribution Tracking: Integrated software development kit (SDK) tracking to connect ad views and clicks directly to verified app installs, eliminating analytics guesswork and allowing real-time bid optimization.
  • Multi-Channel Paid Media Strategy (Meta & Google App Campaigns): Engineered app install campaigns across Meta and Google, delivering ad formats directly within native app stores and social feeds to maximize awareness and increase app downloads.
  • Platform-Specific Targeting Strategy: Customized campaign structures for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store) devices to account for platform-specific user behaviour.

Evaluate

Arbutus Medical came to Able & Howe with a vision and a plan.

 

Strengths

As a young company, Arbutus Medical already knew what they wanted to achieve; they had set strong KPIs and were eager to reach their targets. Arbutus Medical had defined four potential market segments for their product, leaving ample opportunity for growth.

 

Weaknesses

Arbutus Medical lacked the execution resources required to narrow their focus on one target market segment and establish a channel partner pull strategy. They needed a system to measure and track which segments would help them reach their goals the fastest.

 

Function Gaps

The main function gap was a lack of an internal marketing team. Arbutus already had a strategy but no one with the expertise to execute it.

Create

  • Able & Howe developed a marketing execution strategy to help Arbutus Medical increase brand awareness, one of their key objectives.
  • We created messaging that was aligned with the knowledge, sales and marketing assets at Arbutus Medical through market positioning workshops

Evolve

  • Paid campaigns were quickly implemented to boost brand awareness
  • Able & Howe implemented email automation, for channel partners and outreach campaigns
  • We identified the buyer persona and internal champion
    • Able & Howe conducted market research to identify and assemble a list of prospects for the Arbutus sales team.

Activate

  • Able & Howe established a system to analyze and measure the results of Arbutus Medical’s channel partner pull strategy in different market segments.
    • We used this data to inform the channel partner pull strategy moving forward.

Enable

  • Able & Howe helped to hire, onboard, and train a marketing manager and marketing coordinator.
    • The marketing strategy moving forward was moved to the internal team with guidance, oversight, and occasional execution from the Able & Howe team.
    • Fast forward a few years later, Arbutus Medical found themselves without an internal marketing team.
  • The Able & Howe in-source marketing model allowed us to step in when the internal Arbutus Medical team exited.
    • We were able to carry on all marketing activities without delay or onboarding as we remained involved throughout the process.
    • Our in-source marketing model allowed Arbutus Medical to have a smooth transition, removing the need to frantically look for a new internal hire.