Chipotle, a popular mexican food restaurant chain, recently released a new mobile game and a short animated film called “The Scarecrow” about the abominations of industrial farming. The game and the video were created by Chipotle with Moonbot Studios and CAA Marketing. “The Scarecrow’s” setting reveals a surreal bleak world draped in hopelessness accompanied by a haunting soundtrack of Fiona Apple singing “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. There’s something eerily captivating about every scene much like director Tim Burton’s “Nightmare before Christmas”. Yet it’s the story that shines.
We follow the tale of a world weary scarecrow who works for a factory that claims to be “farm fresh” but instead employs frightening practices to produce its products. Disturbing images of mistreated animals abound as the tale unfolds but not to worry, there is hope. Our hero, the world weary scarecrow, is also a farmer. One day he has an epiphany of bringing farm fresh food to the city dwellers, setting up a food stand, and serving fresh hot food. Kind of like…Chipolte. Clever marketing indeed.
Still, the video and mobile game also serve as a catalyst for a broader discussion on a variety of food related topics. For example, what exactly are we feeding our children every day. How does the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) affect us all long term? What steps can we take to educate ourselves and take effective action to ensure the safety of food for ourselves and future generations?
What are your thoughts? Please comment and provide links if you’d like to information you believe to be relevant.
Watch: The Scarecrow
