What happens when media headlines undermine your USP?

Stick or Carrot?

 

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) stole the headlines this week when their research findings concluded that "Organics offer NO BENEFIT!"  thereby denigrating all organic food manufacturers; the organic movement in general and the firmly held beliefs of foodie middle Englanders across the land. What a potentially catastrophic claim to make about an industry which must surely be struggling enough when consumers are already tightening their belts. And this from a government agency too - surely this is verging on irresponsible? Imagine if the Financial Services Authority (Also FSA!!!) had made such a damning claim about one of our precious banks?... New research by the FSA claims "Banks are reckless with your money". Billions would be wiped off share values in an instant and there'd be a run on every high street bank - bigger than the cue for Tamiflu.

One of the key targets of such a claim is of course The Soil Association, a charitable organisation and recognised stamp of approval on many leading organic brands. There response is that the conclusions of the research are misleading, selective and do not mention the other benefits of organic production to the environment and long-term health of consumers. Obviously they're being polite - what they want to say is probably unprintable. Unfortunately lazy journalism and sensationalist headlines have already got their message across to time poor, money poor consumers that organics aren't worth the extra money. Now the issue is settled for many and the Soil Association could struggle to regain the initiative and put their points across.

So, how can sales promotion help? What the Soil Association really need to achieve is big headlines, mobilise the troops on the street and get their message over at grass roots level - if you'll pardon the pun.

Our action plan would be:

• Re-visit the research and draw less biased conclusions - e.g. Organic food actually provides on average 15% more nutrients than non-organic - it's in the FSA report!
• Commission your own research or present the findings of others that tell a different story.
• Utilise Farmers Markets and Organic Boxes schemes to spread the word: -incentivise them to distribute literature, sign up friends etc.
• Field Marketing: Taste challenge on organic versus non-organic, provide toxicological assessments of people's shopping baskets at high foot-fall shopping centres.
• Target children's activity centres, creches and nurseries with free organic snack samples and literature explaining the harm long term ingestion of pesticides can cause.
• Re-inforce the benefit of organics to the environment with promotions linked with staying on a farm or taking an organic break - work with the environment agency perhaps!
• Get Prince Charles or other high profile organic supporters to make some headline grabbing comments for you - is Joanna Lumley a fan of organic??? 
• Finally, perhaps a little out of character for the Soil Association, what about a bit of guerilla marketing? Film an organic food stunt, post it on YouTube and watch viral networking work it's magic.