WARNING! We’re all about to go down!
Growing up new clothes weren’t always an option for my family, and this topic stood out to me because of that. I’ve spent a lot of my time thrifting and finding quality clothing that people had thrown away, when I started my first full-time job at 24, I went straight to the thrift store, and found clothes worth $60 up with the tag still on! For this assignment, my journey began by creating propaganda to promote the donation or recycling of unwanted clothes and textiles, in order to support vulnerable populations and our vulnerable environment. Propaganda is often thought to be a form of manipulation, a tactic used to draw people in and alter their way of thought, propaganda can be biased and strategic and as a society, we can either agree or disagree with it. In this blog post, I aim to convince, you, the reader, that Propaganda can be a positive experience and hopefully through this post foster positive social and environmental change, by reflecting on the creative choices and strategies applied, the target audience, and the overall experience of crafting a persuasive message
The target audience, in this case, is people who either haven’t considered or don’t know that donating clothes is an option. This step is crucial because identifying the target audience shapes the campaign, which in this case is, Donating or recycling unwanted clothes and textiles to support vulnerable populations and to protect the planet. Every year the population produces 92 tonnes of textile waste, this is the equivalent of 1 truck full of clothing being dumped in a landfill every second (Igini 2023). The goal is to reach diverse audiences…individuals of different ages, economic backgrounds, and cultures. This issue is a huge problem worldwide, on a global scale, emissions are set to increase by 50% by 2030, but this is likely to double in the next 10 years (Igini 2023). In the United States alone, on average a single person can throw away upwards of 81.5 lbs per year (Igini 2023). Clothing waste and its impact on vulnerable communities and the environment should be a universal issue It is also important for this message to be delivered in a way that resonates with all people. The aim is to appeal to these people via empathy, by appealing to people who value social causes and are environmentally conscious, or at least try to be, and also target those who may not be aware that donating and recycling is an option.
The secret to being able to capture the eye of today’s generation is to incorporate visuals, in this case, a blog post with an eye-catching poster! This is the main propaganda strategy. In order to not overwhelm the viewer it is important to be subtle and appeal to the public in a way that isn’t offensive or condescending, for example, Images of overflowing landfills, polluted oceans, and impoverished communities, are strong messages and get the point across, they serve as reminders of the consequences of neglecting the responsible disposal of textiles, but instead, some might feel this form of propaganda is reaching rather than teaching. Instead, the opposite of these images delivers a better outcome, uplifting images of individuals donating clothes, recycling textiles, and making a positive impact on both people and the environment helped create a narrative of hope and empowerment, For this campaign, Images of piled clothing going into a donation box and spread about the flyer, is a subtle way of telling the viewer if you have too much, it’s probably a good idea to donate!
The goal is to evoke empathy, but at the same time not to overwhelm the viewer, the desire is to have them see the ad, click it, and discover more. This is an example of clickbait, here both the title and the image are meant to entice the reader. Clickbait can be described as, “Clickbait titles are overly dramatic and create within the reader an almost insatiable curiosity, prompting the reader to click on the link to read the article. Usually, though, the content of the article does not live up to the promise of the headline” (Hobbs 2023). The goal of this tactic is to create a connection between the audience and the beneficiaries of clothing donations.
Once the ad is clicked, Readers can see testimonials from real people who benefitted from donated goods, These stories are then highlighted to humanize the cause. The emotional appeal is meant to elicit compassion and a sense of responsibility, urging folks to consider the impact of their actions on not just other people but the planet too. At the same time, the post is meant to reinforce positivity and empowerment, not appear negative and manipulative, it is meant to frame the act of donating and recycling in a hero-like way, so that the audience feels a sense of community and that they made a meaningful difference in the world. This form of propaganda campaign is clear and concise, providing easy-to-understand steps on how and where to contribute, while at the same time emphasizing the dangers of overconsumption.
Creating propaganda to encourage the donation of unwanted clothes and textiles for the benefit of vulnerable populations and environmental protection has been an enlightening experience. The target audience has to be carefully considered and analyzed and so does the propaganda being produced, the creator has to think about what works best, a short video? Memes? A twitter post? In this case, a blog post is the best way. This process took a lot of thought, although is so simply put together, as a creator, it’s important to think about how simple is too is simple and how can it be better. At the same time, consider how the message can be brought across to the intended audience. By promoting this message hopefully in the future, the amount of waste produced in the world lessen, and people all over the world have access to quality clothing.
References
Hobbs, Renee. “Propaganda and the Attention Economy.” Mind Over Media Propaganda, propaganda.pathwright.com/library/propaganda-and-the-attention-economy-57774/530367/path/step/99034679/.
Igini, Martina. “10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics.” Earth.Org, 21 Aug. 2023, earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/.
