Iowa State Gets Crazy with Crazy Wings

Laura McNamara

Crazy faces for Crazy Wings. Student competitors from Iowa State University are in the spotlight before NAMA judges as we speak, or shall I say as I type, presenting what they hope is a winning pitch for Crazy Wings, a pork version of the chicken drumstick.

I spoke with the Iowa State Marketing Team Director Josie Rudolphi (pictured second from left) just before the students headed into their final pitch and asked them about their product and what it took to get this far into the NAMA competition. You can listen to my interview with Josie here.

nama08-josie-rudolphi.mp3

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Education, Food, NAMA

NAMA Marketer of the Year

Cindy Zimmerman

Dave Rhylander NAMA AwardA 32-year veteran of Monsanto was honored with the NAMA Marketer of the Year award on Thursday in Kansas City.

Dave Rhylander was presented with the award, sponsored by AgriMarketing Magazine, for being “a visionary leader and highly innovative marketer not only within the ranks of his own company but also throughout the agribusiness industry.” He currently serves as Monsanto’s Marketing Lead for Delta & Pine Land.

Because of Dave Rhylander’s strong support and vision, Monsanto is a pioneer and leader in the use of Word of Mouth Marketing strategies throughout the agricultural marketplace. He deserves to be recognized as NAMA’s Marketer of the Year because of the credible, grower-friendly, high-impact and measurable return on investment these WOMM strategies have generated for producer participants as well as Monsanto’s business.

Congratulations, Dave!

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

NAMA Honors NCGA CEO

Cindy Zimmerman

Rick Tolman NAMA AwardCongratulations from AgWired to the CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, who received the Agribusiness Leader of the Year award at the National Agri-Marketing Association conference in Kansas City on Thursday.

Rick Tolman has been in charge of NCGA for almost eight years, during a time of dramatic changes, new challenges and the highest prices in history for corn growers. He told me that he was fortunate to be able to lead the industry as it began to benefit from some of the decisions that were made more than a decade ago.

Listen to a short interview with Rick here.
nama-08-tolman-edit.mp3

Agencies, NAMA, NCGA

NAMA Best of Show Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Best of NAMA AdvertisingI want to thank Denny Eilers for helping me out with Best of NAMA photos.

To start with we have the Best of Show for the Advertising category. The winner is:

Client: New Holland North America, Agency: Colle+McVoy

The message: New Holland is the innovative brand of the future.

Best of NAMA Public RelationsNext is Best of Show – Public Relations. The winner is:

Client: Dow AgroSciences, Agency: Fleishman-Hillard

The message: To build the market for Dow AgroSciences’ Omega-9 Oils, made from their specially-bred Nexera canola and sunflower, in light of the data that trans fats have been related to coronary events and the cause of several health issues every year.

Best of NAMA SpecialtyNext is Best of Show – Specialty. The winner is:

Client: Merial Limited, Agency: Bader Rutter

The message: RECOMBITEK Equine Influenza Vaccine is proven to protect horses against influenza while significantly reducing viral shedding.

There you have it – The Best of the Best!

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

Student Mentor Lunch

Chuck Zimmerman

Student Mentor LunchHello AgWired fans. It’s Day 3 of the NAMA Convention and I know I’m a little behind on posting but we’ll get caught up. Let’s just say things have been busy.

Right now the Thursday lunch is just getting started. Our booth is next to the Student Mentor Lunch area so we’ve got a mix going through line here. Can you guess which is which (student vs. professional)?

This afternoon we’ve got breakout sessions and a number of interviews and stories that will be getting published. Hang in there.

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

ZimmComm iPod Touch Contest is a Hit

Laura McNamara

ZimmComm’s contest to win an iPod Touch seems to be attracting a steady crowd of contest winner hopefuls. But, that’s just ONE of the perks of stopping by the ZimmComm New Media display here at the 2008 NAMA “Leading the Charge” Agri-marketing conference. Visitors can also get online and search AgWired.com to see if they have been blogged by the ZimmComm crew. If you find your name, you get an AgWired.com “I’ve Been Blogged” T-shirt. Now, who wouldn’t want one of those?

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, NAMA

Colle + McVoy Agri-Rock Fest

Chuck Zimmerman

Agri-Rock FestSpeaking of rock. We were speaking of rock weren’t we?

Colle + McVoy held the 6th Annual Agri-Rock Fest this evening. Here’s some of the band. There were a lot of body piercings and tattoos and specialty rock legend beverages.

It’s now getting too late even for an agriblogger so you’ll have to check the photo album for some new ones and wait for more NAMA excitement in the morning.


2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Agencies, NAMA

ZimmComm Booth Rocks

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmComm BoothWell the ZimmComm Booth is ready for action here at the NAMA Connection Point. Laura took a picture of Cindy and me.

You need to come on by to get your “I’ve Been Blogged” t-shirt and enter our iPod touch contest.

While there we can answer all your new media questions.

Right now the Best of NAMA Awards ceremony is finishing up and I’ll have more on the results from that by tomorrow. We’ll be heading out to dinner after the show this evening.

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

NAMA Students Market Blue Ridge Apple Chips

Laura McNamara

NAMA student competitorsA big part of the NAMA Agrimarketing Conference is the student chapter marketing competitions. For this year’s “Leading the Charge” event, students from Virginia Tech have chosen to promote Blue Ridge Apple Chips for a company based out of Western Virginia. Team member Josh Stephens (pictured shaking hands far right) touts the apple chips as a healthy, on-the-go snack for busy-bodies living in the fast track… like us bloggers.

NAMA student competitors

You can listen to my interview with Josh here, where he explains why his team chose Blue Ridge Apple Chips. He also comments on what he’s learning through the NAMA experience… and he’ll tell you, marketing isn’t easy.

But then, that’s why we are all here at the NAMA Agrimarketing Conference isn’t it…nama08-stu-josh-stephens.mp3

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Audio, Education, Media, NAMA

Breakout!

Laura McNamara

NAMA PanelistsThe first breakout session at the 2008 NAMA “Leading the Charge” Agrimarketing Conference focused on advertising. A group of panelists opened discussion on “Ag Advertising: How the Best was Won.” Tim Naylor, the chief creative officer for Yamamoto Moss Mackenzie, moderated the panel discussion. Other panel members included representatives from Colle + McVoy, Rhea & Kaiser, Bader Rutter and Martin Williams.

I couldn’t help but notice they are all MAC users…

2008 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, NAMA