Last week I was invited by Agri Aware and Alltech to address the first workshop in a new initiative aimed at empowering members of the agri-food community in Ireland to become ambassadors for the industry.

The AgCredibles Academy has already signed up more than 40 energetic and committed farmers and professionals who will attend a series of workshops throughout the year to assist them in telling a positive story about Ireland’s food production credentials.

There is no denying that over the last 12 months the Irish agri-food industry has been hammered by anti-farming sentiment. Some of this was created from within the industry itself - where angry beef farmers dominated the news agenda and protests blocked our streets. These were closely followed by a raft of TV documentaries such as Apocalypse Cow: How Meat Killed The Planet and RTE’s Climate Week which highlighted the impact of farming on the environment. The hugely popular Game Changers on Netflix, which advocates a fully vegan lifestyle, has also made an impact in popular culture in spite of the fact that it has been slammed by dieticians for containing misinformation.

This negativity has been further compounded by a much-changed communications landscape with the rise of keyboard warriors, fake news, and clickbait. We now live in a world where consumers expect the news that matters to come to them via an influencer or social media platform and where 3 in 5 people admit to sharing articles based just on the headline.

The result of all of this noise is that consumers are totally confused and do not know what information they can trust. And we know that trust is hugely important. Last year’s Edelman Trust Barometer revealed that 70% of purchase decisions are linked to trust-based issues.

So, we have to ask, what can the Irish agri-food industry do to make an impact and connect with consumers? Edelman Trust Barometer.

1.     Be inclusive.

We need to communicate in a way that does not set out to alienate anyone but instead is inclusive of all diets and beliefs. Last year Nielsen carried out a “Meet the New Meat Eater” study which showed that 98% of meat alternative buyers also purchase meat - a concrete example of why an inclusive communications strategy is important.

2.     Be balanced.

Nobody likes to be lectured to with only one side of an argument. By presenting a balanced approach, offering the pros and cons, you allow consumers the opportunity to make up their own mind based on the facts.

4.     Make it relevant to the audience.

Remember to always put your audience and not yourself or your brand at the centre of the strategy. If it is not relevant to the individual you will lose them at the first hurdle.

5.     Connect emotionally.

We know that emotions are central to any relationship and when we seek to communicate with a consumer, we are also entering into a relationship of sorts. A consumer’s loyalty to the brand or message will be impacted by their emotional connection.

6.     Be grounded in fact.  

With trust at an all-time low, it has never been more important to have our claims backed up by facts and data. You should always have proof points to hand to back up any statements – this is particularly powerful when responding to negative or inaccurate information.

Consumer connections

To assess the best way forward, for the agri-food industry, we need to take a step back and remember that communications is only effective when we communicate in a way that is meaningful to the recipient and not ourselves. We need to assess what it is the consumer wants and needs and tailor or content to meet that need.

The New Science of Consumer Emotions (Harvard Business Review, 2015) says that consumers are inspired by a desire to: have confidence in the future; enjoy a sense of well-being; protect the environment and be the person they want to be.

So, we need to ask, how can the Irish agri-food industry meet those needs?

1. We need to be honest about the issues and challenges facing the industry and the environment.

2. We should outline what the industry is doing to address these challenges and highlight all positive moves to date.

3. We are seeing a trend towards “less but better” meat. Instead of resisting this, we could own it by highlighting the quality of Irish meat, its nutritional benefits and its role in a balanced diet.

4. We can help consumers to feel better about their choices by providing them with access to the facts to help them to make an informed choice, and one that is best for them.

There is no denying that the industry has a tough job ahead but we have a really good story to tell and we have a wealth of passionate and committed people willing to tell it. We just need to remember that we will only be heard if we concentrate on how best to connect with the consumer, rather than continuing the reactive and defensive approach we have seen to date.