100,000+
visitors
20,000
social shares
Seeing the whole picture when it comes to palm oil
The Guardian
The Real Story of Palm Oil
Unsustainable palm oil is one of the major causes of deforestation and destruction of habitats. But many of us don't know the whole picture. So, The Guardian asked us to help them bring the story of palm oil to life through an in-depth, interactive feature.
Problem
Palm oil has a big impact on the environment. Clearing virgin rainforest for palm oil plantations results in smog from the fires and the destruction of habitats. But it’s not the whole picture. The Guardian asked us to help them bring the story of palm oil to life through an in-depth, interactive feature. We spent weeks plotting the content with the team, with the aim of helping users understand the global supply chain and the many sides to this very polarised debate.
Solution
Using video, audio, infographics and photojournalism, we created a site that took the user on a journey, from virgin rainforest right through to their kitchen cupboards. The website allowed users to explore the issue and get a deeper understanding of the nuances. The interactive was funded by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to engage key opinion leaders in the palm oil debate.
Impact
The site featured on the Guardian’s homepage, in the Sustainable Business and Environment sections of the website. In the first couple of months it received over 100,000 unique visitors with an average dwell time of over 3 minutes. It was also promoted on the Guardian's social media channels and has since had over 20,000 shares.
