From the editor: September 2014
By Kristy Nudds
Features Business & Policy Consumer Issues Business/Policy CanadaHere’s a shocking statistic: 64 per cent of British Columbians believe that chicken contains steroids and hormones, according to a survey conducted by the B.C. Chicken Growers Association (BCCGA). Since neither of these chemical agents have been allowed in any Canadian chicken since 1963, why does the misconception of their use in chicken production still persist?
That’s a complicated question to answer, but it’s obvious the “status quo” in marketing to consumers is missing the mark.
The BCCGA directors discussed how best to talk to the public about what concerns them about chicken production, and elicited the help of a marketing firm. The result is a unique social media marketing campaign that sees “The Chicken Squad”, an elite enforcement agency fighting the “bad guys” — those wanting to use steroids and hormones (see article page 34).
A joint initiative between the BCCGA and the B.C. Chicken Marketing Board, the incredibly creative campaign features actual B.C. chicken growers starring as action heroes fighting the use of banned substances in the production of B.C. chicken. A movie trailer was the final product, and included muscle cars, guns and all the action typical of a film produced in Hollywood.
Fifteen B.C. chicken growers and their families participated in the campaign and appear in 10 YouTube episodes, where during “auditions” they discuss the realities of chicken farming and all of the food safety and animal care programs they follow, as well as the fact that farms are family run and owned.
The goal of the campaign is to educate consumers about chicken production, something survey data showed is necessary. It’s also necessary because if an agricultural commodity group fails to do this, others will, and it’s not necessarily 100 per cent factual.
For example, the fast-food chain A&W caused a backlash from the Canadian beef cattle industry when it launched it’s “Better Beef” campaign, promoting the use of steroid, hormone, and antibiotic-free beef in it’s hamburgers. The company responded by saying that it’s sourcing beef without “additives” in response to private data it indicating that’s what consumers want.
Although the beef industry countered with statistics on how little hormones and antibiotics are used or end up in finished product, consumers didn’t know that ahead of time and A&W took advantage of existing misconceptions.
At the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association annual general meeting and convention in Moose Jaw this past June, the vice president of purchasing and distribution for A&W also said it wasn’t the company’s responsibility to educate consumers.
This is a very telling statement and one all agriculture industries need to pay attention to.
In my opinion, thinking outside the box with respect to marketing to and educating consumers, such as what was achieved by The Chicken Squad, needs to become the new status quo if the battle against consumer misconceptions is to be won.
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