Cow Parade Raises Awareness in Wisconsin

Chuck Zimmerman

Cow ParadeThe numbers don’t lie. The Cow Parade promotion in Wisconsin is a success and putting up some impressive pre/post survey results according to the latest from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

More than 100 colorful cows grazed the Madison area and traveled to every corner of the state this past summer and fall as part of CowParade Wisconsin 2006. A survey conducted by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) following the event confirmed the memorable success of CowParade Wisconsin. When compared to a similar survey of 300 geographically dispersed Wisconsin residents done just before the CowParade promotion, it was found that Wisconsinites’ awareness of the state’s $20.6 billion dairy industry and how it affects their quality of life improved dramatically thanks in part to the promotion.

· 94 percent of those surveyed agreed that Wisconsin is proud to be America’s Dairyland
· 92 percent indicated they “would miss seeing Wisconsin farms if too much land was developed into housing and commercial buildings”
· 89 percent felt “the dairy industry played a key developmental role in the state of Wisconsin”
· And, 88 percent said they were “proud to call Wisconsin the Dairy State.”

Noteworthy awareness increases between the two surveys were also seen in the level of agreement with the following statements:

· “Wisconsin dominates the cheese industry” – Up 9 percentage points
· “One of every five Wisconsin jobs is related to agriculture” – Up 8 percentage points
· “The dairy industry improves my quality of life” – Up 6 percentage points

Ag Groups, Dairy

Heinsohn Promoted at Rhea & Kaiser

Chuck Zimmerman

Bonnie HeinsohnBonnie Heinsohn has been promoted by Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications to director, broadcast and print production.

Heinsohn, who joined Rhea & Kaiser in 2003 as production supervisor, is responsible for managing a six-member team while investigating the latest industry trends to improve quality and lower costs in print and broadcast production.

“Bonnie brings 14 years of print production management experience to the table,” said Van Kaiser, executive vice president and creative director of Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications. “She has superior people skills and leadership qualities that will be of incalculable benefit to our clients.” Heinsohn, 41, has managed the production of several award-winning projects, is a recipient of the CADM Tempo Award and was a finalist for the National Telly Award.

Agencies

Truffle On The ZimmCast

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast104 - Aaron Gilbertie, Truffle Media NetworksIn this week’s ZimmCast I have a conversation with Aaron Gilbertie, Truffle Media Networks. We talk about our new agreement to work together offering new media services to the agribusiness community. I’m excited about the future of online communications and the folks at Truffle share the feeling. Together we can offer more current channels of communication with our established news blogs and podcasts than you’ll find anywhere else.

For example ZimmComm has established news sites like World Dairy Diary, targeting dairy producers and Domestic Fuel, focused on alternative fuel news while Truffle has several commodity-specific podcasts like SwineCast, DairyCast, PoultryCast and BeefCast. All these channels are reaching a measurable audience and open for sponsorships. That means that many of you can expect to be hearing more from us as we work together to develop these resources while also offering you our services to create new ones customized for your specific needs.

Aaron, along with John Blue from Truffle were recently guests on Podcast 411. You can listen to that interview here (mp3 file).

To listen to my complete interview with Aaron you can download the ZimmCast: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 104 (31 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:

zimmcast104-1-29-07.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes.

Audio, Podcasts, ZimmCast

ZimmComm and Truffle Joining Forces

Chuck Zimmerman

Truffle Media NetworksThe news is out that the agricultural marketing community has a growing new media resource. ZimmComm is joining forces with Truffle Media Networks to offer our combined resources in helping you utilize new channels of communication. We’re maintaining our separate companies and this isn’t a partnership. “Joining forces” is the best way to describe it. I just like to think of us as a force (cool word) and together we can offer more opportunities and draw on more resources to fulfill our client’s needs.

ZimmComm New MediaYou can learn more about this relationship and what we can offer in this week’s ZimmCast which I’ll be posting next. I’ll be making presentations in Kansas City tomorrow which is why I’m posting this late on Sunday.

(January 29, 2007 – AgNewsWire.AgWired.com) Utilizing the power of social media and new media tools like blogs and podcasts, plus their agricultural marketing expertise, Truffle Media Networks and ZimmComm New Media have joined forces to deliver high-quality, turnkey production and distribution of business-focused new media channels to agricultural companies.

“ZimmComm and Truffle have provided early new media leadership for agriculture and this alliance will facilitate additional innovations. By leveraging the strengths of Truffle and ZimmComm, we now offer agricultural marketers a compelling suite of products and services to help companies engage customers,” says Aaron Gilbertie, Truffle Media Networks.

New media allows companies and customers to regularly and conveniently participate in conversations about industry topics, customer needs and products. ZimmComm and Truffle both have experience in utilizing new media as a communications channel for agriculture. AgWired.com, a ZimmComm property, is the leading destination for agricultural marketers to participate in the conversation of new media. And SwineCast, a Truffle property launched in February 2005, is one of the first agricultural podcasts. With these backgrounds, ZimmComm and Truffle are poised to bring to the agricultural community the resources needed to leverage new media and power agricultural business growth.

Full Release

Podcasts

Beer For Dogs

Chuck Zimmerman

Our dogs are way too spoiled already. They darn sure don’t need their own beer although they have looked at me with one in my hand as if to say, “Where’s mine?” It’s called Kwispelbier.

After a long day hunting, there’s nothing like wrapping your paw around a cold bottle of beer. So Terrie Berenden, a pet shop owner in the southern Dutch town of Zelhem, created a beer for her Weimaraners made from beef extract and malt.

via AP on Yahoo News.

Food

Zimfo Bites

Chuck Zimmerman

Zimfo Bytes

New Leadership At Osborn & Barr

Chuck Zimmerman

Steve KunkelThere’s some new leadership at Osborn & Barr Communications. Like Steve Kunkel here who is now Vice President of Client Services for the St. Louis office.

Steve came to O&B with a proven record of business growth. Prior to joining the agency, he served as managing partner and account director at Copper Advertising in Kalamazoo, Mich. and directed new business efforts that won accounts with AAA Michigan, HoMedics Personal Care Products and Cielo Baths by Whirlpool Corporation. Steve also served as a vice president and account supervisor for The Puckett Group in St. Louis, where he played an instrumental part in helping the agency more than double its billings and staff in five years.

Suzan KneseSuzan Knese has been hired as the Director of Human Resources and oversees all human resources activities within the agency. She also serves as a valuable member of Osborn & Barr’s management team.

Suzan gained extensive knowledge of the advertising industry and the human resources needs of an agency during her nine years as the vice president/director of human resources at D’Arcy Advertising, where she implemented new evaluation plans and assisted the corporate officers with culture integration during two mergers and acquisition. Her prior experience also includes running her own human resources consulting firm, Source One.

Agencies

Iraq Wheat Harvest

Chuck Zimmerman

Iraq Wheat HarvestHere’s a timely report from Paul McKellips, Global Outreach Officer, US Embassy Baghdad, The Green Room – Public Affairs GO Team. It’s almost time for Commodity Classic which will include wheat this year so finding out what’s going on with wheat production in Iraq is nice to know. It looks like seed cleaners are making all the difference in the world.

The southern Iraqi Province of Wassit shipped more than 110,000 tons of wheat and 90,000 tons of barley to state silos this past harvest. This is a record yield for the province and four times higher than the 2005-crop season’s 48,000 tons combined. Countrywide, Iraq produced 1.2 million tons of wheat and 144,000 tons of barley. The record harvest can be attributed to American help and improved technology.

Full Report (Word doc)

Listen to his report:

iraq-wheat-harvest.mp3
Audio, International, Wheat

40 iPods in 40 Hours

Chuck Zimmerman

Elanco 40 iPods in 40 HoursThe most interesting direct mail piece I’ve received for the upcoming Cattle Industry Convention Trade Show comes from Elanco Animal Health. It’s 40 iPods in 40 Hours.

You have to go to their booth to register for one of 40 iPod Nanos they’ll be giving away from their booth (#761).

You’ve got to love a company that’s so committed to new media. And since they are why not give away iPods? You’ll be hearing more about Elanco’s commitment to new media in this week’s ZimmCast since I have an interview with Truffle Media Network and we talk about their commodity podcasts which are all sponsored by Elanco.

Agribusiness, Cattle Industry Conference, Podcasts