Plant Milk Campaign
Whilst it may not be the primary motivation for a person's actions, humans can be selfish; anything we do benefits us in some way. Consequently, persuading people to avoid convenience because it harms other beings and then direct their focus towards actively pursuing positive change is quite the uphill climb. Greed, ignorance and complacency are all excuses and motivators for people to remain stuck in the mud with old habits, not realising (or not wanting to realise) that we are sinking... and fast!
This second-year project at university was introduced as ‘Ethical Design’ and we got free rein from there. With so many topics and paths to follow, I landed on animal welfare and the meat, egg and dairy industry. As a result, I developed this Plant Milk Campaign.
By showing the consumer how 'spoilt for choice' they are with the numerous plant-based drink options one can choose from, this campaign aims to highlight these dairy alternatives and emphasise just how easy it is to make the switch. Focusing on the positives was an intentional decision I made in order to encourage this change based on the human predisposition for personal gain. If the audience sees they’ll get more out of plant-based drink alternatives than dairy, they will be much more likely to make the more ethical choice and ditch the dairy.
Despite my horror and mounting rage that the meat, egg and dairy industries are legal and supported through the demand and purchase of such products (no matter how free-range and ethical they claim to be), my research indicated how ineffective these emotional responses often were when realised through design.
After some experimentation, I went with a more organic, hand-drawn style which is more friendly and non-threatening – people tend to push back against force or stern commands and block out the upsetting or disturbing. I focussed on making the colours fun and passionate with darker backgrounds to make the key information more eye-catching to avoid being passive.
Posters and billboards are the main formats for this campaign so that the target audience comes across them frequently and throughout their day. Whether they are on their commute, going for a coffee or off food shopping, I want them to see this campaign, so it sticks in their mind. This aims to get them thinking more about the ethical issues surrounding their diet and lifestyle, as well as getting them to consider such things in everyday life to actively make better choices.
Fun fact: After conducting extensive research into the meat, egg and dairy industry for this project, I became vegan and haven’t looked back since. We have the luxury of choice, so choose wisely.