November 5, 2021 | Stephanie Ostermann

Big Bad Wolves: Are We Painting Farmers as Victims?

In an effort to highlight the resilience and hard work of farmers (a concept closely tied to no small amount of nostalgia), marketing messaging leans heavily into what farmers are up against. 

The weather. Fluctuating prices for inputs, fuel, and crops. Irrational consumer demand. The government. 

Of course, it’s true. Farmers are resilient and they do face a number of challenges that are out of their control. Recognizing that is not necessarily a bad thing. But in our effort to use this as a point of differentiation – as in, times are hard, but we’re here to help – messaging has become increasingly monotone. 

Beyond boring, one-note messaging, though, is something a bit more subtle. All of these challenges, all of these big bad things farmers are up against, imply that somehow, farmers are simply at the mercy of these things, or worse, the victim of these things.

Let’s explore two examples I’ve been thinking about lately:

The Consumer

Agrimarketers and ag brands have painted “The Consumer” as a nefarious villain, making unreasonable demands about things they just don’t understand – especially when it comes to sustainability. 

“The Consumer” only wants to buy from companies that are taking action to help remedy the mess we’ve made of the planet. In turn, those companies want to buy from farmers who are using sustainable practices on their farms. The marketing message? Farmers are facing pressure from consumers to be more sustainable. And yes, before anyone brings it up, I’m pretty sure I’ve written that exact sentence in previous communications on behalf of our clients. 

First of all, let’s give farmers a little more credit than that. While definitions of sustainability vary, farmers, in general, want to ensure that the land they farm, the animals they raise, and the operations they run are viable well into the future. They’re actively engaged in and implementing sustainable practices because they, probably more than anyone else, have a deeply vested interest in the longevity of our planet. 

Second of all, let’s hold ag brands more accountable. Sustainability is not a point of differentiation or a mandate that consumers have foisted on companies. It’s an ethical obligation to the world. How is your brand, service, or product helping farmers achieve goals around sustainability – so that you can achieve yours?

The Weather 

Yes, “The Weather” can throw a wrench into the best-laid plans. Drought conditions, devastating hail, winters that won’t go away – all of these are completely out of anyone’s control, and they can completely destroy a year’s hard work in the blink of an eye. 

The other day, I drove past a billboard for a European car brand. On the billboard was the typical shiny photo of a car on a winding road in the summertime, beside the words “Take Control of Winter”, and then some information about lease rates.

Yes, driving in the winter is absolutely a challenge faced by most Canadian drivers. It was a topical reference, I guess? But it failed to tell me how that particular car was going to help. 

Again, we go back to what your brand, service or product is doing to help mitigate these issues. Instead of simply noting that being a farmer is hard because sometimes it hails, consider what you have to offer in the context of the unpredictability of the weather. Does your product or service directly help in some way? Maybe you offer value-added content that can help farmers learn about how they can mitigate these losses. Either way, I think it’s time we stop trying “The Weather” as some way of relating to farmers.

It’s Context – Not Insight

All of these things that farmers are up against are absolutely valid and important to understand. They provide context for your marketing plans and messaging. They help you make sure your communications are presented within the framework of current conditions in the geography or market you’re trying to reach. Knowing what’s going on is going to help you ensure your marketing is relevant, timely, and most importantly, sensitive to your audience. 

However, we have to dig deeper. These things are context – they aren’t insights. Unless we really believe that most farmers are simply victims of chance and the best way to help them is to assure them that we’re here for them. Whatever that really means. 

Consider the way that consumers (not the big bad ones, this time) have reshaped purchasing behaviours in the wake of the pandemic. Remember that big wave of commercials in early 2020 about “these unprecedented times”? At that moment, the world was the collective victim of something well outside of our control. And maybe we felt reassured that our local hockey arena, bank, or grocery store was “here for us”. 

However, consumers wanted to know that their health was being cared for in tangible ways. They wanted safe, convenient ways to shop, and brands and retailers had to find ways to accommodate them. These days you can hardly find a parking lot that doesn’t have curbside pickup spots. Many restaurants introduced QR codes for their menus – complete with the ability to pay your bill on your phone at the end of your meal. 

The context was the pandemic. The insight was that we didn’t feel safe living our lives the way we had before. The brands that have come out on top are those who found ways to help mitigate that sense of unease. 

Farmers Deserve More

If we move past seeing farmers as the victim, we can respect them for who they are. Farmers are educated, business savvy, and digitally forward. They aren’t hapless or helpless. Challenge your marketing team or agency to dig a little deeper and find insights that truly get to the heart of what motivates a farmer’s buying decision. I’m willing to bet it’s not as simple as the weather forecast, or the organic aisle at the grocery store. 

Stephanie Ostermann

Stephanie has eight years of experience in content strategy across all channels; specializing in content creation, execution and deployment, social media scheduling and community management. She holds her Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication from Royal Roads University. Stephanie wonders how communities define and redefine themselves both on and offline. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.