Frozen pizza, sugary cereal, granola bar, and flavoured yoghurt.
Diabetes Australia is warning about the link between ultra-processed foods and the nation’s fastest-growing chronic condition in a campaign via Cocogun and sound house Smith & Western.
“A startling proportion of the food consumed weekly as part of the average Australian’s diet is ultra-processed food,” Diabetes Australia chief marketing officer Alex Ball.
“And who can blame us? The convenience and low price point make it compelling, especially for people trying to make ends meet.
“But the long term cost could be much greater than people can realise; in part because tricksy marketing makes unhealthy food appear to be healthy. We understand eating nutrient dense whole foods isn’t always possible. But when you can - it’s a must for long-term health.”
The human body simply isn’t designed to deal with the ultra-processed foods which now dominate supermarket shelves, and regular consumption of these foods could increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 53%, according to Diabetes Australia.
“Bringing the food items to life to sing their life stories makes this campaign - and the important message it’s based around - engaging, entertaining, catchy, and memorable,” said Cocogun creative partner Ant Melder.
“After all, what’s not to like about a fun, yet pointed and slightly meta takedown of the dark arts of marketing by an anthropomorphised packet of self-aware veggie chips?”
The Diabetes Australia campaign positions foods like frozen pizza, sugary cereal, granola bar, and flavoured yoghurt as characters who each trace their journey from origin to table, revealing the artificial enhancements, industrial processes and marketing tactics that transform our food and influence us along the way.
The campaign is live now nationwide, across the Southern Cross Austereo network radio stations, including LiSTNR, Hit, and Triple M.
"Music gave us a unique way to deliver a confronting message without feeling preachy,” Smith & Western co-founder/creative strategist Nick West.
“By turning these ultra-processed foods into charming, self-aware characters, we could draw people in with humour and personality before revealing the darker truth behind what’s really inside the packet. It was also refreshing to see such a creative approach to radio, using storytelling, performance and original music to create something genuinely entertaining and memorable.”
