Tasty Biotech at BIO 2006

Chuck Zimmerman

BIOThe big bad BIO is coming up soon in Chicago and we’re seeing lots of notices in advance of the conference. I think I’ve seen at least 10 news releases just in the last couple weeks. BIO is the Biotechnology Industry Organization and they’re expecting about 18,000 to attend this year’s conference in Chicago, April 9 – 12.

They’re really gearing up for the media too. For example, there’s the media brunch, “From Food to Fuel to Fashion: Industrial Biotech Does It All,” which will provide reporters with an opportunity to taste, use, and see products made from microbes and enzymes produced through industrial and environmental biotechnology, as well as learn how industrial biotechnology can enable energy security. Sounds tasty!

I’m planning on attending the conference and seeking sponsors for my coverage which would appear here and on our other blogs like Domestic Fuel and World Dairy Diary. If you are interested please contact me as soon as possible.

Farm Shows

BSE What BSE Cow

Chuck Zimmerman

Harry SiemensMany are wondering where the outcry is about the discovery of the latest BSE cow in the United States. In my opinion, it never was about health, but about markets or the lack there of. When Canada discovered its first BSE-infected cow in May of 2003, the outcry reverberated around the world.
In Canada, many said it would be the death knell for the beef industry. How wrong they were. Do any of you remember when the latest BSE discovery occurred in Canada? I didn’t either. I had to look it up on the World Wide Web. It was back in January 2006, not 2005, or 2004. We have short memories. That goes to prove my point it’s all about the markets, and has very little to do with health.

When I spoke to a Grade 10 Social Studies Class in downtown Winnipeg high school at the height of the BSE hype, those Grade 10’ers figured it out real quick when I told them Canada’s regulatory system, the Canadian beef industry, and North American protocol would take care of the problem. In fact, the preverbal quiet little Johnny in the front seat raised his hand and posed this rhetorical question: “Isn’t this just about the Americans imposing an artificial trade barrier?”

Bingo! I said you’re absolutely right. Once the Americans figured this out, and finally got their rules right for starting the road back to recovery, we jumped back on the path to a North American market, albeit somewhat controlled. This headline on the Dow Jones Wire services sums it up quite nicely: “Restaurant, Food Company Stocks Shrug Off US Mad Cow Find.” The only people that haven’t figured this out yet are the Japanese. They will sooner than later.

Siemens Says

International

Do Aliens Say “Got Milk”

Chuck Zimmerman

Brittlelactica SceneWe already brought you Alien Cow Adbuction, now it’s Brittlelactica: Planet In Need. You can watch episodes once you get into the website. Basically these alien dudes have found the “white wonder tonic” (milk) on a planet called Earth where the supreme one is named “Da Iry,” pronounced Da’ ee-ray.

It’s all part of the California Milk Processor Board’s new advertising campaign. It’s actually pretty much out of this world if you ask me.

They’ve got 5 new television commercials which just got kicked off this week. Watch the one related to the picture here.

Ag Groups

Blog Statistics Second Opinion

Chuck Zimmerman

Performancing MetricsWe’ve got some pretty good website statistics software but I’ve been wanting to compare it with some others. I am tired of waiting to be invited to Google Analytics and thanks to a heads up from our web developer I’m giving Performancing Metrics, a new blog statistics service, a try. I just got tired of being invited to Google Analytics.

I’ve set up all the ZimmComm blogs to be analyzed. I’ll be able to check my site’s metrics from anywhere and make the results public if I want. I can do this now but I think it’s always good to double check things. Kind of like getting a second opinion for a medical condition.

Uncategorized

Blogging From McCormick

Chuck Zimmerman

McCormick Agency GroupThis post is being written during a live presentation with McCormick in Kansas City at their office. We’ve been talking about blogging, podcasting and news release distribution.

Although I’m starting to lose people I’m going to post a picture of who’s left (if they’ll let me).

Update: Picture

Agencies

Bust Your Sinus With Some Hot Pepper Spray

Chuck Zimmerman

Sinusbuster Pepper SprayIf I hadn’t been having so much sinus trouble this winter I would have passed this by but somehow the idea of hot peppers and a sinus spray just grabbed my attention. I would be seriously afraid to try Sinusbuster. Sometimes you wonder what’s worse, the cure or the disease.

When “Sinus Buster” hot pepper nasal spray was first introduced to Canadian consumers in mid 2005, it became an instant hit. Within 6 months, Sinus Buster went from retail obscurity to being featured on the shelves of more than 300 stores throughout Canada. SiCap Industries, the company that manufactures Sinus Buster claims their unique product is well on its way to becoming the number one sinus & headache product in Canada.

Here’s the part that I thought was most interesting though.

SiCap also credits a combination of major media exposure and radio commercials running on Sirius Satellite for the incredible growth of Sinus Buster throughout North America. “We got featured in “First” magazine for women, and then we started running the Sirius radio spots. We got immediate results here in the states, but as soon as Canada began allowing airplay of the Stern 100 channel on Sirius, we saw a huge spike in Canadian sales. There’s no doubt Canadians are listening to Howard Stern and Sirius in large numbers. Our Canadian distributor gets calls everyday from new retailers who heard about Sinus Buster on Sirius,” Perry adds.

You can watch their first tv commercial here.

Uncategorized

A March Meaty March

Chuck Zimmerman

The Colman's Meatylicious MarchAfter just finishing a Quiznos salad that must have contained about a pound of roast beef and bacon I was very happy to see the Colman’s Mustard, Meatylicious March website, (thank you Chroma, via AdJab).

Visitors can register for the march or they can look at places already visited on the march like, Guild of Q Butchers or Hats of Meat. This is virtual marketing at its finest in my opinion.

You can find things you need to know like the “Meatyfesto” which contains profound sayings like, “Four legs good. Two legs chicken (also good).” You’ll have to visit to enjoy it all for yourself

Food, Internet

Final Call To Enter Video iPod Contest

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland This is your final reminder to get your entry in for the New Holland “Down on the Farm” Classic iPod Keepsake Contest. It’s easy and the odds are better than the lottery. We’ve had a lot of entries so far but you’ve still got until the end of the day March 15. Don’t wait.

We have the iPod and it’s loaded and ready to find a new owner. On it the winner will get the video of Michael Peterson’s performance at Commodity Classic, his new CD, all the pictures I took at Classic and the interviews and speeches I recorded. It comes out of the box ready to entertain and inform!

Go ahead, enter. Do it. You might be glad you did.

Agribusiness