Potato Frog Protection Society
Potato products are in every grocery store nation-wide and are the fourth main staple food for the world. They are grown in 44 countries, all having one thing in common; the Potato Frog. Potato Frogs are being killed by the tens of thousands each year, and as they are being destroyed potato crops have been on the decline.
Or are they?
During the 2008 Presidential election, and previous elections, scammers created false websites that looked official with the candidates’ photographs, videos, and views. Scammers get you to these sites by having a web address that is similar, or one letter different from the real website. Once you are on one of these sites they can send malware to your computer, or when you go to donate to the candidate they accept your money and steal your credit card information. During the Presidential elections of 2004, thousands of dollars that were donated were never recovered because they went to scammers who knew how to make a website look real enough that you, or someone you know, would trust it.
I created the Potato Frog Protection Society (PFPS) to bring about awareness of how easily people can be fooled into believing something only because it is designed well.
About the Project
I wanted to know how influential a well designed organization could be. So I designed a PFPS logo and an identity with which I created a poster describing a fictional creature—the potato frog—and asked for signatures to help save them. I hung these posters throughout the UMass Dartmouth campus with signature forms. Then I spent a few hours in the campus common area and asked for signatures to help save the potato frog. Over 4 days, between the designed posters, additional printed information, and a Facebook group page I received 112 signatures to save this fictitious frog.
Wanting to make the PFPS organization appear legit, I created handouts for people to read. One of these printed pieces included a mailer that covered basic information about the potato frog.
I created branded t-shirts, bags, candy and its packaging, and product tags as merchandise. I wanted to explore fundraising opportunities as if the PFPS organization were real.
I later swapped the “few people know this” posters with “did you get suckered?” posters explaining what I had done. Even with explaining that just because something is designed well, it is up to you to research what is real, I still had people signing to save the potato frog with the facts displayed.
What I Learned
A long time ago, in a classroom far far away, I learned how to surf the internet to do research for school papers. This was back when internet sites were starting to be allowed to be placed in bibliographies. We were taught to look up multiple sources to confirm information. This is when I discovered the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus. According to the librarian teaching us, a young student had included this majestic creature in a report about octopuses never thinking it could be a hoax. This idea of fake, misleading websites stuck with me for years and influenced this project.
The Potato Frog Protection Society was a massive undertaking. I basically started my own organization from scratch and convinced people it was real. I learned design really is powerful. I was vague where I could be, and with the help of designed posters and petition forms, people filled in the blanks. At the end, after everything was exposed, I still had people signing my petitions because they believed my signage over me.
I learned you really do need to do your research because anyone can print “facts” and it doesn’t make it true. Just like with writing reports in schools, you have to confirm your information from multiple sources.
Skills
- Organization
- Design
- Illustration
- Research
- Adhering to branding
- Public speaking