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Speakers to Ag Alliance: Consumers are not stupid
Story Date: 5/6/2013
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Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 5/3/13
Speakers at the Animal Agriculture Alliance conference here repeatedly warned producers and processors not to underestimate consumers’ desire for information about their products and explanations about their processes.
“We’ve got to go back to basics. We have got to shift paradigm. Consumers are not stupid and they have a right to ask questions and until we make that shift, we will always be playing defense,” warned Andy Vance, an editor for Feedstuffs. “Get out of the ag bubble and the echo chamber and try to solve some of these media relations issues.”
AMI Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Janet Riley noted that younger consumers often display their lives on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook and they expect the same of corporations. “Transparency is single most important factor in corporate reputation,” she said.
Riley said AMI’s recent video projects depicting beef and hog slaughter with narration by Temple Grandin are intended to give the industry something to counter claims that errors in animal handling are typical. She noted that it is hard to convince anyone that videos that show abuse are not typical without videos that show proper animal handling occurring on a regular basis at a plant.
In your face
Possibly the most caustic warnings to the industry came from Katie Keiffer, host and producer of the program “Straight, No Chaser” on Heritage Radio Network.
She challenged the animal protein industry to stop dismissing consumers’ concerns, stop calling activists terrorists and start explaining and defending practices that appear alarming to consumers.
“Explain why cull cows are difficult to work with. Don’t hide behind the rhetoric of ‘terrorism.’ An activist is not a terrorist. Dial back that rhetoric, because it ain’t helpin ya,” said Keiffer.
When it comes to the debate over antibiotics use in food animals, Keiffer said, “The perception is money is trumping safety. That’s a perception. You gotta deal with it.”
As for communicating with the public, Keiffer said, “You don’t treat us like we have a brain in our head or have a right to an opinion.”
What to do
Based on consumer focus group research, Terry Fleck, executive director of the Center for Food Integrity, had this advice for the animal protein industry:
Lead with values. If you don’t connect with consumers using values — like ethics, commitment, responsibility — they won’t be willing to listen to the science.
What’s in it for them? Consumers will dismiss messages that lack a perceived consumer or societal benefit.
Food safety is paramount. If you can’t build a belief that your products and processes result in safe food, then no other message matters.
Don’t debate language. Using the example of a consumer calling lean finely textured beef “pink paste or whatever they call it,” Fleck said if your first objective is to correct their language, you won’t connect with the consumer. You can move the message over time, but you must first connect with them with the existing nomenclature of the conversation.
Be transparent. Consumers feel they were deceived over genetically modified foods and they want authentic transparency.
Values and credentials matter. Dr. Oz was mentioned as credible in every focus group. Choose messengers who align with consumer values so they can relate to them as “people like me.”Don’t challenge beliefs. Consumers are coming to the conversation with lots of perceptions that, while not accurate, are consistent with their identity. If you challenge beliefs and perceptions before you establish a connection, they will not engage.
Acknowledge and validate concerns. Encourage questions and accept their frustration.
For more stories, go to http://www.meatingplace.com/.
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