Luck Loei, sustainable living
This project sets out a framework for sustainable living in rural areas. The objective is to preserve the existing heritage and culture in my home town and, in particular, the local food market, which will be destroyed by the forthcoming opening of a supermarket by a global grocery company.
Context
My hometown, Loei located in North-East Thailand. Loei is at the northernmost part of the region, which is nearly enclosed on all sides by the Phetchaboon mountain range. When compared to other provinces in this region, Loei has a unique geography and its wintry and foggy climate makes it is cool almost the whole year round. Loei has plenty of natural tourist destinations and cultural attractions, which reflect its distinctive local identity.
Objective
A major issue is Tesco’s opening of a supermarket at the end of this year. It will be the biggest change in rural society particularly since the local food market will be destroyed and lost to local people. It is a fact that the temple and the market have had long history in Thai society. Apart from religion and commercial purposes, these are the places in the community where people meet and are educated. Therefore, heritage and culture is the main area researched by the project with a view to designing a framework for sustainable living in rural areas through achieving the following objectives:
- Increasing awareness about a loss of traditional trading identity and way of life due to the forthcoming international supermarket.
- Attracting and inspiring the new generation to acknowledge the traditional ways of life.
- Following the King of Thailand’s philosophy that accepting globalization is part of achieving happiness.
Problem definition
Losing of certain tradition, ways of living and value are a problem definition. The lack of preservation sense would be generated into young and old generation caused by influence from modernisation, materialism, trendy, convenient services of Tesco facilities. These are question to lead sustainable design solution; How to acknowledge Loei people to be proud of their valuable culture? How the market fight back?
Design solution
The final design outcome is the sustainable campaign, “Luck Loei”. Luck is Thai, mean love and care and Loei is the project context where city I came from. The campaign aims to purpose the communicative way of how to keep our market and increasing awareness about a loss of traditional trading identity and way of life due to the forthcoming international supermarket. The simple key message, yes/no question; “is it possible to keep our market?” is used for communicate to direct target group. The campaign consists of several programme components which will be used along campaign activities to engage the target.
Target audience
From my personal research, mostly market shoppers were local people at the vary age of 25- 55 year old and employed therefore I have identified an adult and workers is my target audience. Those people have always been to the market almost every day, especially, for buying fresh ready to go food and taking home. Fresh vegetable and crop zone have been busy on weekends in order to many farmers from far away villages have gone there since early morning for selling their growing products.
Furthermore, this project is been presenting to local market communities such as shopkeepers, marketeers and tuk-tuk drivers this for making them to understand the aim of campaign, how to deal with problem and keep our market in a peaceful mean. It would be a great way to expand our message to target group as a market sense of communication between sellers and buyers.
Campaign description
This is an overall campaign visualisation that illustrates campaign direction, activities to engage targets and communication tools designed. To begin with, our group, Luck Loei Club design and produce sticker which is a main toolkit to communicate and maximise campaign achievement as its use. Stickers and t-shirts are going to give to local market communities while their education; informal meeting and workshop which action to understand the problem from Tesco launched. Meanwhile, our group will meet target audience at our workshop which is orgaised within local communities such as school, temple, library, hospital and occasion events and festival. Volunteer team, who is sharing same idea of preserved way of living, form by a group of people or students in each village in town district, will expand our leaflets door to door.
Programme components
Sticker
The yellow “Luck Loei sticker is the campaign’s emblem, its brand. The simplicity of the design and message was critical in focusing attention, “is it possible to keep our market?” To maximise the achievement goal by its use, we produce stickers on three languages in English, Thai and dialect. They are also printed on biodegradable material using low-adhesive glue so they could be posted without environmental impact.
T-shirt
The workshop is a part of campaign action which engages people together, exploring and sharing their idea and educating themselves. T-shirt is once to maximise its use and represent the unity of community.
Poster
To promote the campaign, posters are stuck on central notice boards at the community areas, public occasion event and also at side plates on tuk-tuk as drivers are presented to target.
Leaflet
Leaflet, which consists of several information about the campaign, guidance how we can help our market and colourful pictures, are published and given to target audience directly by our volunteer team.
Website and toolkit
A microsite, www.luckloei.com, is developed to support the campaign. The site includes information, who we are, what we do, our aim, how to join the campaign and open blog for members to express their opinion and suggestion. Moreover, an extensive toolkit, which is developed to support the execution of the campaign, is available via the website. The toolkit includes a variety of communication materials such as a fact sheet, key messages, question & answer, game board, leaflet and sticker template.
