Meatless Mondays

Creating this propaganda poster was both challenging and fun at the same time and was a unique experience. I used what I learned in the class so far to form an effective piece of propaganda that speaks to its target audience.

The target audience was students between K-12. The poster is trying to convince the target audience that they should participate in meatless Mondays. The poster also seeks to convince the student population to advocate for having meatless Mondays at their school.

Meatless Mondays are good for a lot of reasons. As the University of Colorado Boulder puts it, “The meat industry uses vast amounts of our finite fossil fuels and water and lots of grain to feed livestock, which is extremely inefficient. Why not use those resources to feed people more directly?” (Conzachi 1). A lot of fossil fuels usage contributes to climate change because of greenhouse gas emissions. Runoff from chemical fertilizer and insecticide cause erosion. This also depletes the oxygen levels in the water, leading to dead zones such as in the Gulf of Mexico.

Propaganda is in some ways, most effective in a simplified format. That’s why I chose a minimalist design for the poster. Sometimes a minimalist design is the best because it leaves less room for the message to be distorted. The broccoli and cauliflower are meant to look like trees and bushes in a forest. The background is green to contribute to this idea. Green also signifies planet Earth and recycling and green energy initiatives. The whole theme is based around the natural beauty and inherent importance of taking care of the planet. The broccoli and cauliflower are also arranged in a way that looks like feathers or an olive branch, playing off the symbol of the country.

The message is front and center, so the viewer isn’t confused about the cause. The font and colors are bright and playful, to signify that meatless Monday is a good idea. The most important part of the ad is the statement at the bottom middle of the poster, which reads, “Make the healthier choice for the planet.” The font is carefully chosen (Impact) to signify the importance of taking care of the planet and making healthy choices. This is a double entendre because the cause is about making healthy choices for yourselves and healthier choices for the planet. The size of the font is bigger than meatless Mondays, because the bottom line is the most important thing on the page. The first letter of every word in the bottom line is capitalized, to make it look like a title. This form of capitalization is more effective than capitalizing the whole sentence. All capital letters would make the message feel aggressive, and this would hurt the campaign.

A cartoon image of planet Earth is at the top of the page. It was purposely put in the middle, and fits with the environmental theme. The image is beautiful, which reminds people of the natural beauty of Earth. It also reinforces the idea that if you make healthier choices for the planet, it will benefit you.

I used a lot of propaganda techniques in this poster. One technique I used was propaganda by omission. While meatless Monday is definitely a healthier choice for the planet, not all vegetarian meals are. A lot of vegan and vegetarian meals require deforestation, which leads to the loss of biodiversity. Biodiversity is important to the health of the planet. Manufacturing the Impossible Sausage, for example, is terrible for the environment. Giving the viewer this information, however, would only seek to hurt the campaign, and therefore, it is omitted.

Another propaganda technique I used was flag waving. This technique is hidden, because probably the majority of viewers wouldn’t recognize that the broccoli and cauliflower are arranged in the shape of eagle feathers and olive branches, a symbol of national unity.

I used loaded language in my piece of propaganda “Healthier choice for the planet” evokes an emotional response that will draw in people to the campaign. The target audience is young people, who nowadays are more social conscious and ready to help change the world for the better. The younger generation is the most diverse, inclusive, and the most involved in social justice.

I used transfer as well. Broccoli and cauliflower are associated with the concept of a healthier planet. This combines well with repetition; The broccoli and cauliflower are repeated three times. Tihis also connects to recycling, not only because of the green color, but the use of the number three. Three arrows is associated with recycling and upcycling.

In considering how this form of propaganda will be received by the public, it is important to note the state of the green economy. The green economy has picked up in recent years, and more jobs open up in the green industry every year, and more funding goes towards research about green energy. People’s opinions about how to defend the planet have changed with the imminent threat of climate change. More people are environmentally conscious today than ever before. Being green and recycling is trendy.

Being Vegan, Vegetarian, and eating healthy are also trendy right now. There is a huge movement dedicated to protecting farmer’s markets and buying local. By buying local, people can take back control of their food and take back their lives. Many young people nowadays are eating healthier and choosing to stay away from earing meat. This topic was of personal interest to me because I have been a vegetarian for many years. In that span of time, I have seen more and more people I know turn to vegetarianism and veganism.

Overall, the project was both fun and useful as it helped me practice what I learned in class. I used a number of propaganda techniques throughout to tried and advocate for the campaign. Meatless Mondays are a better choice for the planet and for people. The campaign has a lot of ways it could be presented to the public, and my poster does an effective job. I learned a lot through this assignment and I’m glad I got to do it.

Works Cited

Conzachi, Karlie. “Meatless Mondays: ‘Less Meat, Less Heat!’” Environmental Center,

University of Colorado Boulder, 19 Mar. 2021,

www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2021/03/18/meatless-mondays-less-meat-less-heat.