Planet. People. Profit. – in that order
Inaugural Issue – April 3, 2024
This is the first newsletter issue as a new brand. My marketing agency has helped many companies increase awareness and revenue, but it was time to change my name, so it aligned with my values. 3 Pillars Marketing (3 PM) was born and rests on the three values of planet, people, and profit – in that order.
What a great acronym 3 PM turns out to be. My rebrand as 3 Pillars Marketing has given me the best way to think about our planetary situation.
3 PM is about right. It’s late in the afternoon but not quite evening. It hasn’t gotten dark yet. But in the afternoon in the summer the heat is intense, in the winter the wind starts to howl, and across all seasons it feels like the end of the day is near.
But for the planet, It’s Not Too Late. We must remember that as we experience more extreme weather events, political upheaval, and increasing famines.
Let’s Emphasize the Solutions
Everyone’s talking about the problems. I’m going to present solutions. Not every one will be right for you. Unfortunately, many times a solution creates its own set of problems. But we start somewhere.
Regen Ag is a solution for agricultural greenhouse emissions.
Many folks say it’s far too costly for farmers to convert from conventional to regenerative. That’s true if we remain in the paradigm of productivity and continue to use YIELD as the only metric.
So, let’s look at regen ag as a solution that uses multiple metrics. Carbon sequestration is a second metric. But we can get Carbon tunnel vision, as Dr. Jan Konietzko originally pointed out in 2021. Moving beyond carbon tunnel vision with a sustainability data strategy (cognizant.com) If we look at ecosystem services as the umbrella term for productivity then soil health becomes a critical part of the equation.
There’s a huge difference between productivity and profit. Here’s a hypothetical scenario. A corn/soybean farmer switches from a conventional field to a regenerative one. That means cover crops, no-till, and reduced synthetics. After the cover crops, which are diverse and include legumes, have been in the field over the winter they’re rolled down (not killed with synthetics). The cash crop is planted in the residue.
The first year there may be a small yield decrease, but there’ll be a huge increase in soil biology and organic matter. If that % decrease in yield is 10% but the decrease in input costs is 60% – then there’s a 50% increase in PROFIT! This isn’t unusual for regenerative farms.
Farmers are businesspeople and the end goal of a farmer isn’t to feed the world but to make a profit on his farm. No business can solve everyone’s problems, but no problems can be solved if the business isn’t profitable. Conventional agriculture right now is barely profitable. The solution to low farm margins is regenerative ag.
Regenerative ag farmers and ranchers must have a market for their products to be profitable. Vertical integration is one way to increase profits. Another is to supply regen food brands with raw materials.
Regen Brands are beginning to gain market share. But the progress is very slow. Part of that has to do with a consumer who doesn’t really understand what regen means.
We’re indoctrinated that there always has to be a cut-and-dry definition to everything. The more we understand about our planet, the more difficult it becomes to define anything.
As Noam Chomsky said, “The more you learn, the more you realize the less you know.”. And that causes conflict and doubt in people’s minds. How can regen food brands overcome these feelings of confusion?
First, we need to look at the questions consumers are asking. Can we answer them? Can Big Brands answer them? We have to be content that any answers will only be partial. As regen brands, let our consumers in on the mystery we call nutrition. Let’s let consumers in on the connections between the soil microbiome and our gut microbiome and the mystery of it all. The gut/soil microbiome connection.
The other big question consumers are asking is: Does it taste good?
Many folks will try something once for its nutritional value. But seldom will a person come back for seconds if it doesn’t taste good. Big Food Brands are well aware of that. The extra sugar and salt make their foods taste good – but have no nutritional value. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are looking for higher nutrition, but the buying decision is made on how it tastes and how much it costs. Marketing a regen brand has to connect with the consumer desires to sustainably grow the brand.
The message to consumers must first be about taste, second about cost, and third about nutrition. It doesn’t matter how nutritious, or even tasty, a food is if it’s out of the consumer’s price range.
Sourcing quality ingredients and keeping the supply chain transparent are two challenges that are easier to overcome when you’re a regen brand than a conventional one. [need a cite for this] And let’s face it, nutrient-dense food also tastes good.
Regen From a Marketing Perspective
We can talk about the quality of our products, how they are good for the planet, and the nutrient density all we want. Those reasons are justifications for the real reason our consumers buy our product.
If we’re producing a food product it’s all about taste. The words yummy, tasty, delicious, and so many others that describe food tastes need to be front and center. Yes, let’s talk about how the food was grown is good for the planet. Let’s also talk about how everyone involved with getting that food to the consumer was paid a fair wage. We can also talk about how much good we’re doing as a company for social wellbeing.
But we have to remember those are justifications for eating something delicious.
The consumer is looking at the whole package, so remember packaging counts. You can have the tastiest product but if you’re encasing it in a lot of single-use plastic you’ll probably lose sales. What kinds of compostable packaging solutions can you find that still give you a reasonable ROI?
For regen brands that are customer-facing by way of a retail outlet, we have to be extremely conscious of brand placement. I eat hemp hearts as a plant-based protein source. They are available at my local Big Box store – in the baking aisle. Why aren’t they available with pumpkin seeds, nuts, and other snack and salad toppings at the front of the store?
In my opinion, this is an oversight on the part of the brand. Shelf space in retail is tricky business but proper product placement is critical to sales success. As a small brand, creating awareness of your brand might mean tastings, posting photos of your brand in-store on Instagram or Facebook, or wherever your consumer base hangs out.
Know your audience and what they value. Know where they hang out. Know their other interests so you can show up in the right places. There’s a very good chance you are NOT your intended audience. If you are, that’s a bonus.
Marketing with an attitude that disrupts the Staus Quo and begins the process of creating balance between all Earth’s beings.