21 Pages, Visual messaging is becoming the new avenue to connect with consumers. The majority of the American public is not connected with agriculture and often questions procedures, practices, and tactics within the industry. Practitioners and researchers have suggested value congruent messages, a type of emotional appeal, may increase attention to agricultural messages. However, limited research has been conducted to define and investigate value congruent messages in agricultural communications. The purpose of this study was to describe the presented messages in videos used in one agricultural advocacy effort, CommonGround’s “Nothing to Fear Here” campaign. This content analysis described the video’s message content and use of value congruent messages. Schwartz Theory of Basic Human Values (2012) was used to identify the values present in each video within the campaign. The values of benevolence, security, self-direction, universalism, and hedonism were common values displayed in the campaign. Message sensation value was calculated, and it was found the videos had moderate levels of emotional arousal. The primary characters in the videos were mothers, farmers, and children. More research should be conducted to explore how the value congruent messages and message sensation value interact to increase a receiver’s level of attitude change after viewing the message.
Reports on content analyses of Web sites used by Florida agricultural commodity organizations and identifies opportunities for meeting the information needs of media more effectively.
14 pages., Via online journal., Guided by the theory of reasoned action and social cognitive theory, this study was conducted to better understand how decisions to purchase organic or conventional milk are influenced by norms and attitudes established via human interactions and how those norms and attitudes vary by geographic region. An online Qualtrics survey was used to gain insight into behaviors, attitudes, and interactions of 308 milk consumers in various geographical regions of [State]. The findings indicate that urban, suburban, and rural consumers differ in some ways in their interactions related to milk information, as well as their perceptions of organic versus conventional milk. Based on the findings of the study, differences in personal networks and exposure to certain messaging in varying regions might perpetuate a more positive, confident, and informed view of organic or conventional milk products in some areas more so than others. The researchers recommend using the results of the study to tailor messages to the specific information needs of consumers in urban, suburban, and rural regions of [State].
James F. Evans Collection, As we move further into the electronics age, several agents of control are muscling their way into the business of communicating. Specifically, technology, fashion and a one-way mid-set are fighting for control over message development and delivery. This article advises land-grant university communicators on how they can recognize - and beat - these control agents, and how communicators can help land-grant universities overcome reputation deficit. We, as communicators, are in danger of losing control of our message. I am not talking about a shadowy conspiracy to subvert our civil liberties. I do not have any evidence of such a thing occurring. The control I am talking about concerns, first, the role of technology. Second, it concerns the way popular fashion shapes and often misshapes our messages. And, finally, it concerns our own intellectual honesty. I call it the problem of the One-Way Mind. Therefore, let me sketch how these agents of control are muscling into our business of being professional communicators. (author)
