The Story that Matters Most to Consumers
Let’s clear up something right away: I think you should tell your story. Sing your song. Live your life. That is the gift you have for the world. Share it freely, openly, and loudly. Whether you’re a farmer, banker, teacher, mechanic, or anything else.
Separate from that, I challenge the idea that if we in agriculture just tell our stories enough times that we are going to somehow bridge the gap with consumers.
Do you know whose story consumers care about?
Their own.
Their health. Their job. Their family. Their happiness.
Agriculture, for most, is a means to an end. This includes your story (even if it’s super awesome).
How do we truly bridge the gap?
One great approach is to focus on bringing value to something that non-Ag consumers care about. Such as their kids. That’s exactly what “George the Farmer” is doing.
As a parent, I know how important it is to find good, wholesome, educational entertainment for my kids. Otherwise they will get on YouTube and watch middle aged women play with children’s toys (weird).
Simone Kain created “George the Farmer” to provide and answer to this challenge while sharing key agricultural messages. I encourage you to listen to my interview with her on the “Future of Agriculture” Podcast here:
Stories and information are everywhere. We all have the internet. What’s missing is true connection and helpful solutions to real problems.
Like many others, I think most people would benefit greatly by learning more about their food and where it comes from. But unless there is a compelling reason why they should care, it’s very difficult to bridge that gap.
“George the Farmer” provides a great example of providing valuable information in a format that solves other problems.
“George the Farmer” adds value in a few areas:
- Parents and teachers want good, wholesome, educational content for their children
- Kids are curious and want to know more about the world around them
- Many parents become more curious about food when they start having kids because they want to make sure what they are feeding them is safe
Capitalizing on these needs, Simone and company have done a great job of adding real value while at the same time sharing important agricultural messages and stories.
This, to me, is the missing ingredient in bridging the gap between producer and consumer: Solving real consumer problems with relevant agricultural messages. This method of connecting with people on their own terms seems to be greatly missing from many agricultural literacy efforts today.
I encourage you to listen to my full interview with Simone Kain here:
