Palm Oil Free

Describe your idea and concept of your work in relation to the festival outlines:

Food democracy can be thought of as a framework for making our food system more responsive to the needs of its citizens and decentralizing control quoted from Memfest and this is exactly what my Palm Oil Free Campaign does. Food democracy aims to transform “passive consumers into active educated citizens”. From my research, consumers really want a palm oil free labelling system due to the packaging being deceitful and very unclear. In Australian only three oils have to be labelled sesame oil, soy bean oil and peanut oil. That means that any other oils such as palm oil can be labelled under any name. It is said that 50% of Australian food contains palm oil, in an article on www.sbs.com.au it is said to have direct affects on climate change with the vast deforestation areas in Asia, mainly Indonesia. The Palm Oil free campaign really helps the consumers become more educated, more aware and better equipped with not only the labelling system but with the app and booklet that will be advertised throughout supermarkets.

What kind of communication approach do you use?

My communication approach was a Socially Responsive Campaign for Palm Oil, which aids the consumer’s ability to make a difference and to educate them to be more aware of deceitful labeling on food packaging.

What are in your opinion concrete benefits to the society because of your communication?

My concept will help aid the society in particular the consumer at supermarkets and because it is a campaign they will be made more aware of the Palm Oil free campaign and be more prompted to download the app or collect a booklet.

What did you personally learn from creating your submitted work?

What I found most challenging in the beginning with this assignment was that my original idea to make an ethical label that would be made compulsory for food products to aid the consumers in making ethical choices, tackling GM, fair trade,
chemicals and palm oil but this was too broad and varied. It is not a logical idea as companies doing the wrong thing have the power to say no or not put it on their product. It shocked me that with the traffic light system the government didn’t want to invest in a better more easily understood system by the public because they had already put a lot of funding into there existing labelling. I find this so bizarre how everything is run by money and power rather then the best for mankind and the marketplace. So after my research I had to change my idea to be more realistic and more specific. If the company wants to show they are doing the right thing then they can use the labelling, or if not the consumer then has the power to use the app designed to scan barcodes to see if it is palm oil free or not. Then there is a good link between product and the app as other apps don’t have any kind of system that link within the stores themselves like my campaign does.

Why is your work, GOOD communication WORK?

My work is good design because it covers three important aspects that are strongly associated with good deign, that the work is of a high standard, it is socially responsive and is meaningful to the practitioner. I also believe it is what the community/public wants and this creates greater value for the need, want and desire of my campaign.

Where and how do you intent do implement your work?

My work will be implemented in the supermarket where the consumers can use my app to be more informed and educated in the matter of palm oil and not be deceived by labeling and understand that what you read on the food packaging may not always be the truth. It aids people in investigating the truth and seeing why they are not Palm oil free and with the aid of the label design that is an option for companies to put it on there products if they comply. I have created an App, labeling system, posters and a pocket guide booklet for those people who don’t have smart phones therefore reaching more people.

Did your intervention had an effect on other Media. If yes, describe the effect? (Has other media reported on it- how? Were you able to change other media with your work- how?)

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