Product branding and the secrets of a successful ad campaign will be on the menu at Foodlink Waterloo Region’s fourth annual Farm Marketing Workshop on Feb. 15. The workshop, which will be held at the Trinity United Church in Elmira, is an opportunity for farmers, marketers, and food enthusiasts to have the opportunity to get together and learn how to build a successful brand around food products, and to learn from some of the best in the business.
“We’re really trying to gear it towards the local food and local farmers, because that of course is what Foodlink is all about,” explains Anna Contini, marketing and events coordinator for Foodlink, adding that with the recent buzz surrounding local food now is the time for producers to start thinking about how they can best get the word out about what they have to offer.
“By developing the brand and awareness, it makes it easier for people to recognize when something is local, and I think it is important for farmers to tune into that and recognize it is a great opportunity to differentiate their product.”
Foodlink is a grassroots organization devoted to promoting local food and putting local producers in the best possible position to succeed. By connecting all the links in the food production chain, from farm to table through projects such as their buy local maps, their aim is to educate the public and spread the word about all the benefits of consuming locally-produced food.
“I think for many people there is the desire to support local farms and is a growing awareness that they are in jeopardy and I think that people want to support them,” Contini said. “They just have to know where to go and how they can do it. They might not be able to shop local all of the time, but in Waterloo Region in particular there are a lot of great opportunities to support local farms.”
The workshop features several prominent advertising and marketing experts from around the region, including Karl Allan Muncey, the founder and CEO of the creative and design marketing company CuteGecko in Kitchener, as well as Steve Martin, the manager of retail sales at Martin’s Family Fruit Farm near St. Jacobs.
Martin said he will be promoting the idea of building a reliable brand name, as well as the importance of company’s being prepared to follow through once they begin to advertise – it’s not enough to attract customers to your store or product once, they need to have a plan in place to continue to attract those customers again and again, he says.
“One of the points that I hope to emphasize is the importance of planning for the future. I think a lot of people when they build up their business, it’s not hard for them to understand that when you build a building or that type of thing that you are making a capital investment.” he said. “People don’t always look at advertising as a capital investment or a long-term investment.”
Martin will also explain how new innovations in technology – such as the Internet and cheaper technology like computers and graphic design software – has changed the world of marketing completely, making it easier and cheaper for companies such as Martin’s to develop effective and eye-catching advertising.
And he certainly knows what he is talking about. Martins Family Fruit Farm has been in operation since 1971 and has seen production grow from just 100 trees four decades ago to more than 700 acres today.
The local food movement will only continue to grow, he predicted, noting that anyone interested in the growing food sector in the region should attend the session.
“For people out there who haven’t jumped onto the bandwagon yet, and have a good idea and want to get involved, this could be a good meeting to go to for some suggestions and find out if this is a good fit for them.”
The marketing workshop begins at 1 p.m. and is open to anyone who is interested in attending. The cost of admission is $25, or $35 for a family. Pre-registration is required before Feb. 9 by calling Anna Contini at 519-513-8998 or via email, acontini@foodlink.ca.
