Combat the interconnected issues of food insecurity and food waste in Greater Vancouver.
Food insecurity affects 17% of British Columbians, a number continuing to rise amid growing economic pressures. Meanwhile, an alarming amount of edible food is habitually discarded. In an average household, one in every four bags of groceries ends up in the trash. Vancouver’s restaurants and supermarkets waste an estimated $1.3 billion worth of food annually. These two problems — hunger and waste — are intrinsically conn ected, yet rarely addressed together in a way that empowers everyday people to be part of the solution.
The Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) is dedicated to alleviating food insecurity and reducing food waste while fostering healthier, more resilient communities. Serving Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, and the North Shore since 1983, the GVFB offers weekly access to dietitian-approved groceries, specialized nutrition programs for children and seniors, and skill-building workshops focused on cooking and budgeting. They also work closely with industry donors to rescue surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, turning excess into impact.
As demand for their services continues to grow, the GVFB relies heavily on donations and public awareness to sustain its programs. Every contribution helps stretch their bulk-buying power further, ensuring more food reaches those in need — and that fewer people in Greater Vancouver go hungry.
BRANDING / PACKAGING
OPEN FRIDGE CAMPAIGN
Feeding the community, educating the public, and fundraising for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
The goal was to create a fun, meaningful, and highly visible way to engage Vancouverites with the often-overlooked issues of food waste and food insecurity. Through research into innovative awareness campaigns, I was drawn to the boldness of guerrilla marketing and the grassroots ethos of community fridges. These two concepts inspired an interactive campaign that could disrupt daily routines in a positive way — sparking curiosity, conversation, and action.
The result is the Open Fridge campaign: a month-long initiative that sees the Greater Vancouver Food Bank partner with five of Vancouver’s most beloved restaurants. Each week, a different restaurant sponsors and stocks a community fridge in its neighbourhood. Fridges can be opened with a donation to the GVFB, rewarding participants with a restaurant-quality meal inside. Each fridge also anchors a unique educational event — offering locals a chance to engage with the campaign’s cause, connect with their neighbours, and experience how simple it can be to make a difference. The strategy combines food, storytelling, and community to turn passive awareness into active participation.
A bold, friendly brand system designed to bring joy, spark curiosity, and make food justice feel accessible.
The campaign’s identity centers around the iconic red Open Fridge — both a literal campaign element and the heart of the visual system. The fridge acts as a playful symbol of abundance, sharing, and surprise, inviting people to open it and discover something delicious inside. The accompanying Open Fridge logo, inspired by retro cartoon styles, adds warmth and personality to the brand. Its wide-eyed charm makes the campaign approachable to a range of demographics, from young families to millennial foodies.
The visual language uses a bold but simple red-and-white colour palette — vibrant, high-contrast, and instantly recognizable. A supplemental pattern featuring illustrated food and ingredients adds flavour and playfulness to packaging, merch, and digital materials, reinforcing the joy that food brings to the community. Typography includes Railroad Gothic for punchy, high-impact headlines, paired with Avenir for clarity and accessibility in body copy and subheads. Photography plays a central role in drawing people in: vibrant images of mouthwatering meals and diverse people sharing them are used across social media, print, and web — emphasizing that food is culture, connection, and care.
These elements are deployed across multiple campaign touch points: a shiny red community fridge with an eye-catching booth setup; printed brochures and flyers tailored to each event with tips, facts, and donation information; branded merchandise to extend the campaign’s presence in the public sphere; and a dedicated website and Instagram account to power digital outreach and storytelling.
Key takeaways
This project instilled in me that dark and difficult topics don’t always have to be handled in heavy or somber ways. While there’s nothing fun about the issues this campaign tackles, it was important that Open Fridge inspired action, not dread. By leading with warmth, curiosity, and community, the campaign made it easier for people to engage with uncomfortable truths and feel empowered to do something about them.
Another key takeaway was the importance of designing with both empathy and strategy. Every creative decision — from visuals to event structure — had to serve a larger purpose: educating, engaging, and empowering the community. It reminded me that great design doesn’t just look good; it creates pathways for connection, understanding, and meaningful action.
