Chupps Unveils a Sandal-Shaped Biodegradable Billboard That Disappears in the Rain

A Billboard Designed to Vanish

In an unexpected blend of advertising and environmental storytelling, footwear brand Chupps has created a sandal-shaped biodegradable billboard that literally disappears in the rain. Installed at Bandra Bandstand in Mumbai, the billboard was crafted entirely from natural, biodegradable materials. When the monsoon season arrived, the structure softened, dissolved, and returned to the earth — exactly as intended.

Biodegradable Billboard - Crafted with Plant-Based and Earth-Derived Materials

To bring this biodegradable billboard to life, Chupps and INTO Creative Agency used a mixture of mud, hay, bamboo, cow dung, and clay. These materials were pressed and sculpted onto bamboo frames that held the installation in place until weather conditions triggered its slow disintegration.

The central visual element featured a large three-dimensional sandal made of mud and clay, complete with the brand name CHUPPS in white lettering. Integrated seamlessly into the billboard surface, the sculpted sandal mimicked the brand’s eco-conscious footwear, making the object both a product reference and a symbolic gesture.

An Advertisement That Returns to the Soil

During dry months, the sandal-shaped billboard stayed stable and intact. But on October 16th, 2025, when monsoon rains hit Mumbai, the biodegradable structure began its transformation. The mud softened, edges collapsed, and the sandal shape gradually dissolved into the ground. By design, the entire billboard completed its own life cycle without leaving behind any permanent waste.

Below the installation, a line of text tied the concept directly to the brand’s mission:“100% biodegradable. Just like this billboard.”

Messaging Through Material Science

Chupps’ footwear naturally breaks down within 24 months after disposal — a stark contrast to conventional shoes made from plastics and synthetic compounds that can persist for decades. The biodegradable billboard served as a powerful demonstration of this principle, embodying the brand's commitment to responsible design and circularity.

The project highlights the possibilities of material science, particularly how natural fibers, clay, and organic compounds can replace waste-producing materials in advertising. In this campaign, even the promotional structure was part of a natural cycle, decomposing into the soil instead of contributing to urban waste.

A Call for Responsible Advertising

Chupps’ biodegradable billboard pushes the boundaries of what marketing can be. It poses an important question for the industry: Can advertising be temporary, ecological, and fully integrated into natural processes?

In this case, the answer is yes — and it vanishes with the rain.

Written by Otávio Santiago, a designer crafting visual systems that move between the tactile and the digital. His work combines motion, branding, and 3D exploration with a poetic sense of structure.