Project Overview

This campaign was developed while working for the Department of Information under the Fijian Government to promote the nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags, which took effect on 1 January 2020. The objective of the project was to raise public awareness about the ban, encourage behavioural change, and support Fiji’s sustainability efforts by reducing plastic waste. The campaign employed visual communication strategies to inform citizens and businesses about the ban, reinforcing the government’s commitment to environmental conservation. The primary communication materials included posters, digital graphics, and social media promotions, ensuring the message reached a broad audience effectively.

Design Objectives

The design of the campaign was carefully crafted to achieve clarity and impact, ensuring that the message about banning single-use plastic bags was immediately understood. It was essential to maintain simplicity and universality, using minimal text and strong visual elements so that people from different educational backgrounds and language proficiencies could comprehend the message with ease. Government branding was a key consideration in the design, with official elements such as the Fijian Government crest and website address included to reinforce credibility and authority. The campaign also aimed to serve as a clear call to action, ensuring that the public was aware of the enforcement date while motivating individuals and businesses to comply with the new regulations.

Challenges & Solutions

One of the main challenges was effectively communicating a significant policy change to the public. Many citizens and businesses had been accustomed to using plastic bags for years, and it was crucial to ensure that the ban’s implementation and enforcement were clearly understood. To address this, the design prominently featured the word “NO” in bold red typography, immediately drawing attention. A universally recognised “no” symbol, consisting of a red circle with a diagonal line, was placed over an image of a plastic bag, reinforcing the prohibition visually without the need for excessive wording.

Another challenge was ensuring high visibility and engagement in a media environment where public service announcements often struggle to stand out. The design overcame this obstacle by using a high-contrast colour scheme, with the striking red text set against a dark background, making it visually commanding and difficult to ignore. The visual hierarchy was optimised to highlight the enforcement date and direct viewers to official government resources for additional information.

A further challenge was ensuring accessibility and readability for diverse communities, including those with limited literacy levels. The campaign needed to be clear and comprehensible to all citizens. To achieve this, the message was kept concise, avoiding complicated language or excessive details. The use of universally understood symbols and straightforward wording allowed the campaign to reach a wider audience, including those with limited proficiency in English.

Final Outcome

The project successfully delivered a visually compelling and highly effective public awareness campaign. The bold and direct design helped communicate the message clearly, contributing to a widespread understanding of the ban on single-use plastic bags. The campaign materials were distributed across multiple platforms, including print, social media, and government websites, ensuring broad outreach and engagement. By reinforcing the government’s stance on environmental sustainability, the campaign played a crucial role in supporting Fiji’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution and promote eco-friendly alternatives.

This project stands as a testament to the power of well-designed, strategically planned government communication in driving public awareness and behavioural change. It not only educated the public about the policy change but also contributed to fostering a culture of environmental responsibility in Fiji.

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