Two Auckland real estate agents have rummaging around in people's recycling bins.

Sheralee from Te Atatu Peninsula

Two Auckland real estate agents have rummaged around in people's recycling bins. They've been using them to distribute advertising.

Matt O'Brien and Cris Casares, of Barfoot & Thompson, have been told to stop a campaign in which they'd put flyers in recycling bins.

The flyers suggested neighbours' bins were overflowing with champagne bottles due to their successful property sales. Some residents aren't impressed and have told the agents to stay out of their bins.

But marketing and communications consultant Cas Carter says the negative attention could be good for the campaign. "It has clearly created some controversy but that may have been the intention ... getting people talking, and posting, about the campaign, is giving it a good profile."

Meanwhile, property blogger and real estate salesman Alistair Helm said the negative response wasn't a surprise. The "venomous" feedback was symptomatic of the "challenge that agents face every day in a cut-throat world of fighting for their business."

University of Auckland head of marketing Bodo Lang said it was a risky tactic when an increasing number of people were putting up "no junk mail" signs. The negative reaction was likely due to the invasive nature of the advertising, Lang said.

To top it off, Peter Thompson, the managing director of Barfoot & Thompson, said he had asked the pair to stop the campaign. Although, he did say that many regarded it as "a clever and innovative campaign promoting their sales services".