Cottontails
For Product Environment Material, I picked the commodity of corn and turned it into a product and an experience. This progression is because as a commodity gets developed, it grows in value.
In my research, I identified 3 core issues with the cereal industry:
There were very few vanilla-flavored options in the market. Most options were chocolate or fruit-flavored.
Corn farming is unsustainable. Certain GMO corn strains and pesticides cause harm to native populations (and potentially to consumers.)
Children are being fed massive amounts of corn syrup, leading to cravings for more and more sugar. Corn syrup is also very fattening.
I chose to transform corn into a sustainably grown cereal for health-conscious parents and their children.
I made a series of color combinations to try. I was running into an issue where natural colors seemed too “boring,” but fun and exciting colors seemed artificial. My final product is a mix of the two.
In the end, I created both a product and an experience that embodied the qualities of fun-loving and aware.
My project aims to be more than tasty food. It also seeks to provide an experience that teaches about sustainability and responsible pet ownership.
Product
I also created an idea for an in-store display for these irregularly shaped boxes.
Experience
What If…
Our farm experience has a rabbit petting zoo. What if children feel compelled to own a rabbit after interacting with the rabbits on the farm?
This may seem fairly innocent, but rabbits are one of the most frequently abandoned and rehomed pets. They are also very destructive animals and will eat cords and furniture.
How can we promote responsible rabbit ownership in all age groups?
My solution was to educate children in the form of a postcard they would receive at the end of the petting zoo. The front would be a keepsake, and the back is a notice about proper rabbit care.