A collaborative project between WPT and WPR, Food Traditions explores expressions of identity through food. From the Mississippi River to lake Michigan, the Apostle Islands to Beloit, we learn about ingredients Wisconsinites choose to grow, collect, use and leave out, how they prepare a dish, whom they share it with and how these traditions construct their sense of identity. This project explores underrepresented identities, touching on topics like family tradition, food sovereignty, assimilation, integration, community building, health, immigration and sustainability.
With popular shows like Wisconsin Foodie and Around the Farm Table and with the recent success of the Great Wisconsin Baking Challenge, food has become part of the WPT brand. This project is leveraging our digital community and asking them to engage with us around food in a more comprehensive way.
The Great Wisconsin Baking Challenge which runs parallel to the Great British Baking Show each week is in the midst of a successful second season. The intention of the project was to build a digital product where we could grow a unique community, increase excitement and engagement around the Great British Baking Show and communicate directly with this new audience. With the Great British Baking Show in its final season with PBS, we are looking to apply the learning acquired through the Great Wisconsin Baking Challenge and to leverage the online community we successfully built to engage with us in a different way around food. Undoubtedly, this project will further expand WPT’s virtual tent, drawing in people from many different and often underrepresented demographic groups.
Food Traditions is designed as a one page scrolling experience with strong visual hooks. Audience members do not have to click to see more stories or play videos. This design plays into established habits of scrolling through feeds, versus expecting action and commitment. The videos are short (up to a minute and 40 seconds), which allows for a viewer to engage with all of the content in one short sitting.