This marketing solution was designed for South Sudanese Australian women over the age of eighteen, based on extensive research. These women come from a culture where discussion of mental health is seen as a sign of weakness. These women have often come from a traumatic past and since they are loyal to such a way of living, they must be encouraged that discussion of mental health shows strength rather than weakness. Sensitivity is very important because these women are usually very loyal to their culture.
The general concept for this idea is to have a weekly dinner party, which would have South Sudanese food and music. This is important because these women will likely miss these beautiful parts of their culture. In South Sudan, it is considered very odd if you eat dinner alone. It is generally enjoyed with the company of their families. Having a dinner with other South Sudanese women can help them feel comforted, plus the music will help the vibe to feel more relaxed than formal. The music can also be enjoyed through dancing and having fun.
The dinner should have a guest speaker who can speak on empowerment, for example, Kemi Nekvapil. She is a beautiful woman who speaks on woman empowerment. Although she is not Sudanese, she is a black woman who has become very successful from her speaking and someone like her will be able to inspire these women as she is an example of the fact that speaking about mental health issues is a sign of strength.
The woman at the event will also be given a notebook to take home along with a tote bag. In this book they would be encouraged to write down any thoughts that they have, doesn’t matter if these thoughts are positive or negative, just to let them out. However, anyone with a book isn’t forced to write anything and they can be used for something as simple as a grocery list if that’s what they would like. women will also be allowed to share their thoughts at the dinner, obviously no pressure.
This event would be successful because rather than confronting South Sudanese Australian women and saying, “you have mental health issues because you are South Sudanese”, it is getting them accustomed to the culture of speaking about mental health because they are strong. Empowering these women rather than dwelling on the problems can be much more effective, especially seeing other women with similar, if not the same cultural background participating as well.
This dinner not only focuses on empowerment but for those who are not mentally ready for the empowerment step, they can at least have people to share the experience and create connections with people who can understand them better than other people could. The purpose of the journal is to get them into the habit of acknowledging their thoughts rather than pushing them away so that they don’t look weak. Even having the book there is a nice warm reminder that they are not alone. The tote bag has a similar purpose. Everyone loves a tote bag; they are very useful, and they often look pretty. Having the tote bag can remind them every time they use it that they can attend this event where people can appreciate them and everything they’ve been through.
The design items have been designed using a bright and friendly colour palate and visual style. Three illustrations of characters have been created to bring a warm and empowering feel to the brand as the characters look very strong and beautiful, yet friendly. Minimal amount of text has been used on the poster to create a solid message with the existing text. The brochure contains more detail however still not a heap. This is to factor for the women who are not fast readers due to lack of education.
