The Good Mood Food: Educating Australians about the link between food and mood.
The onset of the pandemic led to a steep rise in mental health problems in Australia, with optimism hitting a new low. Simultaneously, grounded export flights threatened to waste tons of fresh fruit, vegetables, and nuts produced in Australia. This crisis affected Hort Innovation Australia, a body representing numerous growers, which was facing the potential catastrophe of losing their produce.
In response to this dual challenge of rising mental health issues and the risk of fresh produce wastage, creative agency AnalogFolk was tasked with a crucial mission. They were to create a website aimed at educating Australians about the mood-boosting benefits of the homegrown produce. The goal was to demonstrate how nutrition could directly influence mental well-being and consequently encourage the consumption of surplus produce, thereby helping both Australian growers and the population at large.
AnalogFolk took a research-driven approach, using our proprietary 'Looking Glass' research framework to discover crucial marketplace trends. We found that social content heavily influences consumption habits, and there was a growing awareness of mental health post-COVID. Based on these insights, we developed a unique user experience, formulating UX principles, and crafting a content strategy to help individuals meet their needs. The innovative website featured a "Food ~ Mood" switch and a vibrant, color-coded navigation system, enabling easy exploration of over 70 different types of fresh produce and their mood-boosting benefits.
The website was a phenomenal success. A remarkable 97% of site events involved the "Food ~ Mood" switch, indicating a high level of engagement. Users spent an average of 3:35 minutes per session and viewed 4.7 pages on average, indicating a significant learning uptake about fresh foods and their mood-enhancing benefits. Hort Innovation's CEO, Matt Brand, lauded the initiative for its dual impact: helping Australians navigate a mental health crisis and showcasing the vital role of locally-grown produce in maintaining a mentally and physically healthy nation. This venture successfully highlighted the symbiotic relationship between food and mood, supporting Australian growers in a time of crisis.
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