We Hate Sheep-Like Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

John JanuaryThe We Hate Sheep people are Sullivan Higdon & Sink. I visited with their Executive Creative Director, John January, during the National Agri-Marketing Conference.

He started right out making sure that I knew that the “We Hate Sheep” theme is metaphorical. As he puts it, “We hate sheep-like marketing.” John says the company has been growing their ag business. They work for clients like Merial Animal Health, Dairy Farmers of America, Cargill Meat Solutions and others. He says they work from farm to plate. To producers on behalf of producers. SHS was very successful in the Best of NAMA competition with a Best of Show – Advertising

We talked about social media since it was such a prevalent theme at the conference this year. He says, “It’s so important to be telling our story. The best people to tell that story are producers and social media is manna for that particular job. I think ag marketers are a lot further down the road than they think they are.”

You can listen to my interview with John below.

2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference
is sponsored by: Successful Farming. They know.

Agencies, Audio, NAMA

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • ABC Landline reporter Kerry Staight, based in Adelaide, Australia, has won the inaugural IFAJ Star Prize for Agricultural Broadcasting.
  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that $2 million will be made available to dairy, beef, poultry and swine producers to help cut energy-related production costs.
  • Agricultural trade issues will be the subject of the Farm Foundation Forum on Tuesday, May 4. RSVP by April 30th to julie@farmfoundation.org is required.
  • The American Soybean Association is encouraging farmers to pick up their cells phones and make calls April 26-30 from their tractor cab to promote passage of a retroactive extension of the vital biodiesel tax credit.
    Uncategorized

    Circuitous Path Leads to Career at Novus

    John Davis

    While most of the time you want to encourage students to follow the straight and narrow path, sometimes the best advice is to take a curvy path toward your goals. Case in point: Vanessa Stewart, national account manager for Novus’ pet nutrition lines.

    During the 2nd annual “Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers” days, Stewart told the Missouri Colleges Fund scholars touring the company’s suburban St. Louis facility that she started out as a chemistry teacher in her small hometown in southern Illinois and eventually moving to Novus working in the feed lab. She worked her way up the ladder and is now in a sales position, far from the chemistry degree she earned back in college.

    “You never know where your career is going to head. You just go with the flow and make the best of your situations and opportunities. And as they present themselves, grab hold and go full steam ahead!”

    She suggests the students concentrate on improving their communications skills and know that science is a great career goal on which to build a career.

    Hear more of my interview with Vanessa below.

    2010 Novus International Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers Photo Album

    Audio, Novus International

    Hallmark Branding

    Chuck Zimmerman

    John CourtneyI would dare say that Hallmark Cards has the whole branding thing down to a science. To share some insight into their history and issues they face today John Courtney, Consumer Understanding & Insight Manager, Hallmark Cards, Inc. spoke at the National Agri-Marketing Conference. John is pictured left of Matt Coniglio, Fastline, who introduced him.

    John says Hallmark is celebrating 100 years of the brand. Some milestones include the move to the name Hallmark in the late 1920’s, the Crown Logo was created about 70 years ago and the tagline, “When you care enough to send the very best” was created about 60 years ago. John says that he started with the company when they were getting started with digital and they have created a number of ways for consumers to utilize their products that most recently includes Hallmark Mobile Cards. They also have an interactive social calendar application on their Facebook page too.

    You can listen to my interview with John below.

    2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference
    is sponsored by: Successful Farming. They know.

    Audio, NAMA

    Email Is The Backbone Of Digital Marketing Strategy

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Joel BookIf you’re using email in your marketing plan do you sometimes wonder if it’s still relevant today? How do you tie it in to new forms of digital communications channels. At the National Agri-Marketing Conference Joel Book, ExactTarget, conducted a presentation titled, “E-Mail Marketing: Strategies, Tactics, Results.” I spoke with him prior to his session. This is an important subject for our company since we’re involved in many email campaigns and have watched the mechanisms and services evolve in recent years.

    Joel sees email as the “backbone” of the ongoing strategy for keeping customers connected to the brand. He says email performs best when married to other forms of digital communication (mobile, social). It is vital in helping create “brand fans” who will help spread the message.

    Joel provides a number of resources marketers can look to for more information about how to best use email as a key component of their strategies.

    You can listen to my interview with Joel below.

    2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference
    is sponsored by: Successful Farming. They know.

    Audio, NAMA

    AAEA 2010 MarComm Awards Entry Deadline

    Chuck Zimmerman

    AAEAJust when you thought you were all caught up. NAMA awards over with, etc. You’ve got the Golden ARC Awards entries and don’t forget the AAEA MarComm Awards.

    The AAEA 2010 MarComm Awards Program is open to affiliate members of AAEA, to freelancers who are active members yet create materials in the 10 categories, and to non-members who join as affiliates. Non-members must join AAEA by the program entry deadline in order to enter.

    ACN

    Golden ARC Awards Entry Deadline This Week

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Here’s your reminder that your Golden ARC Awards entry is due by this Saturday at 5 p.m.

    That means you have just a few more days to review the 38 available categories at www.GoldenARCawards.com; repurpose previous entries or create new ones, and mail to the Contest headquarters in Texas. Enter the Contest that began 20 years ago, and is specifically for agricultural public relations entries!

    Think back to work you conducted (at least partially) in 2009. Are you proud of any campaigns or tactics you worked on? Whether it’s a complete campaign or an important tactic that you implemented or worked on in 2009, why don’t you enter it and see how it stacks up against other good work?

    Unlike other competitions in agricultural marketing communications, our competition will be judged by public relations professionals with no ties to agriculture … we are stepping outside the common judging pool and having North Florida Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) members judge our contest.

    Contact contest manager Amy McDonald if you have any questions.

    ARC

    Novus Tour Prompts Student to Consider Education Options

    John Davis

    Some students who received money from the Missouri Colleges Fund … which is funded, in part, by Novus International … got a real education during their tour of the animal health company’s facilities in suburban St. Louis and research farm, better known as Green Acres. And it’s given some of them ideas about how they might change their education plans.

    During Novus’ 2nd annual “Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers” days, Columbia College junior Tracy Wright told me she’s considering her language options to better meet the needs of an employer such as Novus.

    “My degree requires either two credits of foreign language or two multi-culture credits, and I was planning on taking the multi-cultural credits so I didn’t have to take the foreign language. But now it’s really making me re-think that and taking the foreign language to help me get a job in science.”

    She says based on the great atmosphere she saw employees enjoying at Novus, it’s definitely a place where she’d like to work after graduation.

    Listen to more of my conversation with Tracy in the player below.

    2010 Novus International Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers Photo Album

    Audio, Novus International

    IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders In Belgium

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Here are the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism award winners who were able to make it to this year’s IFAJ Congress. The award recognize the leadership potential of young members from countries belonging to the International Federation of Ag Journalist (IFAJ). Recipients each receive 1,000 Euros to support their participation at an IFAJ Congress.

    Pictured are Billy Frey, far right, Alltech, and then from left, Andrea Bahrenberg, Germany; Aleksander Radovic, Serbia; Liza Berger, South Africa; Sarah Trickett, UK; Lilian Schaer, Canada; Tatjana Kren Hlebic, Slovenia.

    Due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland, the winners that were not present were Soledad Ricca, Argentina; Terhi Torikka, Finland; Margaret Donnelly, Ireland; and Jesus Lopez Colmenarejo, Spain.

    I feel their pain. I spoke with Delta today about my flight refund which they promise within the next 6 weeks. Thanks to Billy for providing the photo. I’ll be seeing him soon in Lexington, KY for Alltech’s 26th International Animal Health and Nutrition Industry Symposium.

    Alltech, IFAJ

    Novus Tour Opens New Ideas, New Doors for Students

    John Davis

    Some students who have benefited from Novus International’s contribution to the Missouri Colleges Fund have had the chance to tour their benefactor’s suburban St. Louis facilities and the animal health company’s research farm.

    Rachel Weber, a junior at William Woods University in Fulton, MO, majoring in biology with a concentration on equine science, says she was impressed with Novus’ environmentally friendly building … Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum level … and the company’s openness to a wide variety of backgrounds for their workers.

    “A lot of people think you have to go pre-med, pre-vet or you have to stay in a laboratory doing boring research. I think this is opening a new door to a lot of scientists to see that we can be innovative in our research and that research is not boring and doing tedious paperwork.”

    She hopes to take away some new ideas and apply some of those to her studies. Plus, it could be the kind of place where she could see herself working one day.

    “I know they need a lot of specialized people and with a veterinary degree, maybe I could assist.”

    You can hear more of what Rachel had to say in the player below.

    2010 Novus International Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers Photo Album

    Audio, Novus International