CTS Essay Proposal//Concept Development.

The concluded proposal for my CTS essay, to be reviewed over the winter break to go on to write and complete for submission by the end of January 2012 as the basis of my second year essay module, and the possible foundation of my dissertaion essay.

ESSAY TITLE:

"How has evolving health awareness in contemporary society affected social awareness and sustainable design within the food industry?" 

Combining the structure and content of my two (originally considered) statement/essay proposals:

"How has evolving health awareness and social consciousness changed branding, design, and ethics in the food industry?"

" How the food industry promotes social awareness & sustainability in contemporary cultures" 

BOOKS/RESOURCES (AND WHY THEY WILL BENEFIT MY STUDY): [PICTURES]

- Roberts, L (2006) 'Good: An Introduction to Ethics In Graphic Design', Lausanne, AVA Publishing.

Important resource for Graphic Design skills, and how they are applied ethically and sustainably- also provides a visual matrix to evaluate the sustainability of a company- will provide a useful comparative resource.

- Ambrose, A & Harris, P (2011) 'Packaging the Brand', Lausanne, AVA Publishing.

 Great visual book (very good griding system- great, crisp photographs- easy to navigate, read and research) which evaluates how important and integral packaging is to the overall aesthetic of a brand- a very important mechanism for the food industry (particularly with my case study, Innocent Smoothie) to make it stand out on the shelves from it's competitors.

- Chapman, J, 2005), 'Emotionally Durable Design', London/Washington, Earthscan.

Source material about the ethical side of design and how sociology plays an integral role within the design industry- a book which promotes and encourages the emergence of sustainable design and the reduction of waste and consumption.

 

- McDonough, W & Braungart, M (2002), 'Cradle to Cradle', New York, North Point Press.

Recommended on the reading list/bibliography of the sustainability/globalisation/ethics seminar, 'Cradle to Cradle' discusses environmental issues and how products can be effectively sustainably designed.

- Papanek, V (1985), 'Design for the real world', London, Thames & Hudson.

Discussing how sociology and the change in social consciousness effects design and the way in which design is produced and printed- a very important source to evaluate the food industry and the revolution it's packaging (eg nutritional content) has gone through the past decade.

- Boylston, S (2009), 'Designing Sustainable Packaging', London, Laurence and King Publishing Ltd.

Useful information about sustainable packaging, with the theory (as well as the practice) of sustainable and ethical packaging- a useful resource to evaluate the sustainability of the Innocent brand (as my case style)- as well as a comparative tool to the wider food industry/market.

MY PROPOSAL:

I propose to look at how the political and social consciousness has effected the not only the health of contemporary societies (particularly within Britain)- but how the food industry, and brands (looking at the 'Innocent Smoothie' brand as a particular case study) have responded to this change in the past decade- where health conciousness has been at it's peak.

TO DO:

- Gather a selection of primary research- both through contacting Innocent Smoothie themselves, but also collecting qualitive and quantative data and market research.

- Collect secondary source information in regards to both health food brands and health care- rise in obesity-lead illness and diseases.

- Read through source material, note important data which will be later used in reference or as information within my essay.

- Look at health innitatives and policies bought into play by parliment/society/celebrity and reality TV cultures- the sociology of health and healthy eating.

- Source statistical and factual data in relation to health food and healthy lifestyles- nutrition.

- Research environmental packaging utilised by the Innocent brand- Tetra Pak, FSC, Fairtrade, etc- how do these influence and persuade consumers to purchase their products?