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

All About NAMA

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 258I suppose I could be more of an evangelist for the National Agri-Marketing Association but I’m not sure how. If you’re involved in agribusiness marketing and communications then this is the one group you really have to belong to. I love all of them but NAMA is the one that has truly meant the most to my career over the years.

In this week’s program you can hear a NAMA convention wrap-up with NAMA CEO Jenny Pickett and the latest on how well the Agri-Business Educational Foundation is doing with Mike Gustafson, Deer’s Landing Communications. Mike is VP of the ABEF. This NAMA convention was a record breaker and all the feed back has been good so far. The ABEF is doing very well too and I encourage and challenge you to become a member of the ABEF Century Club. I did at the convention.

Since the NAMA convention theme was “From America’s Heartland to the Rest of the World” the program ends with a song titled, “Heartlands” by Ian Babington from Music Alley.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems for their support.

You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast below.

2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

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

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our a Subscribe page.

Audio, NAMA, ZimmCast

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The AgGateway Board of Directors is pleased to announce Wendy Ann Smith, Ph.D. will join the organization in the role of executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective immediately.
  • The National Agri-Marketing Association announced that its 2010 annual conference has achieved the highest attendance in more than a decade – 1,150.
  • To evaluate current trends, summarize key vulnerabilities, and identify possible solutions to current and future challenges, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) convened a Task Force of eight scientists, educators and resource analysts who have prepared a new CAST Issue Paper, Water, People, and the Future: Water Availability for Agriculture in the United States. Watch the “Water, People and the Future” Video here.
  • The J.R. Simplot Company issued a first summary of its sustainability practices.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Novus Employees Stress Importance of Experience, Flexibility

    John Davis

    One of the first people the students touring the Novus International facilities in suburban St. Louis is someone who was in their exact same position not very long ago.

    Research engineer Sarah Perdue started with Novus just last summer. Like the students she met, Perdue was looking to build on her experience she had gained through the years.

    “I would highly recommend to get some kind of experience so that you can be exposed and also looks good on your resume and will give you an ‘in’ as far as moving into a company like Novus.”

    Perdue says while disciplines in the animal nutrition field are important at Novus, many science fields find a fit in the company.

    “As a chemist, you could do analytical chemistry. If you got into biology research, you could do cell culture cultivation and use that for a product.”

    She says it really boils down to being someone who is curious and looks to innovate.

    More of my conversation with Sarah is available in the player below.

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

    Audio, Novus International