20 pages, Knowledge of agricultural practices has declined in recent years, resulting in consumers becoming uncertain of where and how their food has been produced and the marketing tactics used to promote the product. Historically, the U.S. population’s rich agricultural heritage coincided with higher levels of agricultural literacy. Some scholars, however, have maintained that U.S. culture has begun to lose touch with its agricultural foundations. More recent evidence has demonstrated that consumers acquire knowledge about their food from various media, most notably the Internet and social media. Often these sources use incorrect information and promote food and agricultural marketing trends that may not be grounded in scientific data. In response, this historical narrative analyzed a reform effort that occurred in U.S. food labeling policy and practice in the 1900s, which contributed to food labeling issues and consumer distrust in the agricultural industry. Based on the findings of this investigation, we concluded that food labels were initially intended to provide consumers with more profound knowledge of the food they purchased. However, key legislative acts such as the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act shifted the food labeling movement into a branding device to differentiate products and brands. We recommend that agricultural practitioners explore new ways to communicate their message more effectively. We also call for producers to incorporate more personal and emotional appeals when marketing agricultural products to better compete with third-party branding efforts.
Lancendorfer, Karen M. (author / Haworth College of Business), Atkin, JoAnn L. (author / Haworth College of Business), and Reece, Bonnie B. (author / Michigan State University)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
unknown
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 177 Document Number: C30374
16 pages, Branding agricultural products are popular in the online market, but little is known about consumers' preferences for agricultural product brands in an E-commerce environment. This study analyzed consumer preferences for three types of agricultural product brands and the interaction effect among them in an E-commerce environment with a choice experiment. Our results show that regional brand shows remarkable complementary effects on grower brand and store brand, implying regional brand can enhance the value of other brands. Also, we found that there is a substitution effect between grower brand and store brand. Interestingly, we find that consumers prefer cheap or expensive fuji apples rather than middle-price ones, implying significant consumption stratification in the Chinese online food market. This study also confirms the importance of the time window of delivery. This paper can provide critical information to optimize brand strategies of agricultural products in an E-commerce environment. [EconLit citations: D12, Q11, Q13]
15 pages, The main purpose of this qualitative research was to design an export marketing strategy model for tea products to target markets. The statistical population was composed of all experts in the field of this research topic (N = 332). The sample size was determined as equal to the statistical population. Second-hand data used for data collection and a semi-structured interview was used as the research instrument. Five series of interviews were conducted with the experts. In order to identify the status of tea export, the first interview was done with tea exporters during 2016 (87 people were interviewed). The second round of interviews was done with factory holders to investigate the status of green tea leaf and dry tea as well as the respective model (170 companies were interviewed). In the third step, the experts and practitioners (50 people) were interviewed to provide the research model. The fourth round of interviews was carried out with 10 experts of the tea research center and organization to examine the status of tea gardens, green tea, and dry tea production and the main model. Finally, some Iranian business and economic advisers were interviewed in the fifth step. The results showed that direct export - business partner was the most suitable method to enter the target markets. Participation in relevant fairs in the target country and invitation and presence of traders of target markets in Iran were determined as the most appropriate method for market penetration and development strategy. Low price with more discounts was seen as a more suitable pricing strategy. Top quality and top packaging were selected as the best methods regarding product strategy. The selection of top distributors in each country and chain stores were determined for the product distribution. Using the brand of target market, digital marketing, fair, and social networks were recognized as a more suitable promotion strategy. Gardener and factory holder cooperation, agricultural improvement of tea gardens, promoting the quality of green leaf of tea, and using modern types of machinery for cultivation and harvesting in production strategy were the most important production strategy. In addition, differentiation through special taste and smell of Iranian tea, high quality, and attractive packaging design and type were recognized as the best differentiation strategy.
25 pages., via online journal., Designers are trained professionals who understand how to effectively visually communicate based on executing principles of design and an understanding of their audience. Within the beef seedstock industry, ad design varies widely in terms of technical effectiveness, but how do those differences affect potential customers? This study tested the effects of seedstock ad’s graphic design on the viewer’s trust and credibility among 561 Angus cattle producers. Our results show the graphic design of a beef seedstock ranch ad promoting an upcoming bull sale did not influence producers’ perceptions of trust and credibility. However, results did reveal better designed ads are positively related to producers’ trust of that brand. We suggest the study results were influenced by a first impression established through the brand description presented to all treatment groups, which illustrates beef seedstock buyers may be more reliant on other informational cues than design to inform their purchasing decisions. Future research is needed to parcel out effects of the brand information relative to the design aspects of the ad.
16 pages, via online journal, One of the nation’s most important industries, agriculture, has adopted social media to communicate with consumers and the public. At the same time, traditional news media remains important to the agriculture industry because many consumers still receive information about agriculture from sources such as newspapers and television. Little literature at the time of this study explored how social media is used specifically as a media relations tool. The purpose of this study is to examine how agricultural organizations in Ohio communicate via social media and how the messages could impact central Ohio traditional media outlets’ coverage of agricultural issues. The study is grounded in uses and gratifications theory, and previous social media studies. Data were collected from seven Ohio agricultural organizations’ Facebook pages and four central Ohio news outlets. Researchers found that Ohio agricultural commodity organizations use social media, but not necessarily to communicate with the news media. The industry received limited news coverage during the time studied, and we were unable to discern a relationship between social media and news media coverage beyond a commonality of stories. By communicating the results of this study with agricultural organizations and researchers, effective social media strategies can be developed to guide the future of social media as a media relations tool.
9 pages., Online via publisher., An adapted health-branding framework guided the 3-step mixed-methods approach to identify evidence for campaigns using a scoping review, comprehensive literature review (1990-2016), and key-informant interviews. Results showed that industry, government, and non-governmental organizations supported 13 campaigns that used various health-branding strategies.