Anti-Slavery Australia launches the world’s first supermarket ‘selling human beings’ part of new campaign via Cocogun and The Glue Society
Cocogun and The Glue Society have teamed up to launch a unique, world-first store on Oxford Street, Sydney. The supermarket, purportedly selling humans, stocks a range of over 70 products that each represent a victim of modern slavery in Australia. This compelling and confronting experience is designed to raise awareness and raise funds for Anti-Slavery Australia (ASA) with products ‘purchased’ in the store equating to donations.
Around 15,000 people are being kept in slave-like conditions in Australia today, used as domestic workers, cheap labour in sexual exploitation and trapped in forced marriages. The issue goes under the radar with only one in five victims detected and most Australians unaware of the grim reality.
Cocogun developed the concept to support ASA’s ongoing efforts to abolish modern slavery in Australia. ASA are leaders for, and advocates of, the anti-slavery movement here in Australia. They are the only specialist legal practice, research and policy centre committed to the abolition of modern slavery, including: human trafficking, forced labour, servitude, and forced marriage.
The Glue Society have brilliantly brought the vision to life, collaborating on every element, from product design and aesthetics through to store layout.
New independent communications agency, Candid Communications are leading the media relations and press strategy behind the launch of Human Mart.
Says Professor Jennifer Burn, founder, Anti-Slavery Australia: “This is a truly brilliant way to raise awareness about all forms of modern slavery and have real impact to prevent these human rights abuses and better protect victims. These agencies are inspiring, it has been a joy to work with such creative and artistic people.”
Says Chiquita King, co-founder and managing director, Cocogun: “It’s a privilege when you work with a client who believes in the power of an idea and encourages you to pursue the vision to its fullest extent. Professor Burn is a force of nature and the work her team are doing for victims of modern slavery is inspiring to say the least. Collaborating with The Glue Society reminded me that the people you surround yourself with to meet the ambition, is as important as the idea itself.”
Says Alice Cogin, director at The Glue Society: “This has been a project 18 months in the making and a true labour of love. We were set to launch Human Mart last year, the week that Australia went into lockdown and so, to be able to bring it back this year has been extremely rewarding. For most Australians, we are unaware of the prevalence of modern slavery in our country. It’s easy to think that these types of things don’t happen here, but they do. It was important to us that this initiative honour the individual stories of survivors and demonstrate the need for more awareness and ultimately more action.’
Open to the public from today Tuesday, March 16 through to Thursday, March 25 from 10am-6pm, all funds raised from Human Mart will be donated to Anti-Slavery Australia in support of victims and survivors of slavery. To find out more about Human Mart, how you can support the cause, or to donate online, visit www.humanmart.com.au or @thehumanmart.
Anti-Slavery Australia
Jennifer Burn, Director
Sarah Di Giglio, Coordinator
Carolyn Liaw, Researcher
Sandeep Dhillon, Lawyer
Yvette Selim, Researcher
Ruth McLelland, Manager
Emma Burn, Research Assistant
Coffee Cocoa Gunpowder
Chiquita King, Co-Founder and Managing Director
Ant Melder, Co-Founder and Creative Partner
Chris Clausen, Head of Design
Lewis Clarke, Copywriter
Emily Hahn, Senior Business Director
Lauren Maneschi, Art Director
Rachel Tse, Designer
Diane Villavieja, Project Director
Hayden Wright, Head of Social Media
Alan King, Store Design and Installation
Mary Hackett, Executive Assistant
The Glue Society
Direction: The Glue Society
Design & Experience Director: Alice Cogin
Design: Roshan Ramesh
Production Assistant: Holly Warner
Production: Revolver
Candid Communications
Olivia Meena, Co-Founder
Jodie Moses, Co-Founder
Maddison Cochran, Consultant
13 Comments
What a brilliant and powerful concept. Love the design. Can’t wait to pop down the road to see it and support this important cause
A great creative way to raise awareness and funds for a largely hidden problem. The campaign draws people in with it’s intriguing colorful space and then names and humanises the people caught in the devastation of modern slavery.
I can’t help but thinking this is incredibly wasteful? Or am I just being too woke?
The craft looks amazing. A lot of detail has gone into this, well done. Although I’m not sure I get the link between human slavery and the products on the shelf. It’s a little like Hungry Puffs and Mum’s Sauce had a baby.
Very Nice.
Hi ‘Really creative execution…but’ – after a couple of weeks in Oxford Street, Human Mart will be disassembled and reassembled at UTS, as a semi-permanent exhibition/teaching resource for Anti-Slavery Australia.
And hi ‘Question’. The link between human slavery and products on the shelf is that human beings are being sold, just like products. Traded and passed around with callous indifference – with as much thought as you’d give to buying a tin of beans.
Good cause. Great intent. Just doesn’t make sense. Thanks for your explanation Ant, but it doesn’t work. Sorry. But you’ve dehumanised humans. I hope you win lots of awards but for me this is fatally flawed. Your solution exacerbates the issue. Treating people as nothing. I hope I’m wrong.
Does your comment make you a better creative or professional? I’d hesitate a guess. No.
So I think there are serious flaws in this idea that I raised, I think, politely. How does this make me unprofessional? I’d suggest your comment makes you look rather fragile. Glad you live your life. It seems rather insipid.
That is exactly the point. You should NOT want humans to be dehumanised into products, as they have been. You’ve kind of admitted to the success of the piece. Personally, I like it and anything that brings discourse to the apparent horrors that exist today (amongst us) is great.
Sadly don’t agree. The dehumanisation lessens the emotional engagement for me. The less the emotional engagement, the less My concern. Utmost respect to Ant and the team. It’s definitely creating discussion.
Where’s the product section for that bloke from Armadale?
Seems like a wasteful way to bring attention to slavery. Solve one problem and create another (food waste). I’m assuming no one will ever get to consume these products?