Real stories about real dairy farmers – sounds like an average day, right? But for today’s consumer who is over three generations removed from farming, seeing behind-the-scenes of where their food comes from is exactly what they are looking for. This month Dairy MAX launched a new mini-documentary video series aiming to give consumers just that while highlighting how dairy farmers care for the land, animals and communities around them.
The series called “Dairy Up Close” follows the lives and stories of five local dairy farm families from central and east Texas to the Panhandle plains and eastern New Mexico. Their unique challenges and personal journeys intertwine with the daily aspects of dairy farming, helping viewers understand the shared passion we all have in common to make the best choices for our families and future generations.
Coming out of COVID-19, these videos launch at a time when things like sustainability, shared values and transparency are more relevant than ever to dairy’s target consumer groups of Millennials and Gen Z.
“85% of consumers expect companies to invest in sustainability in the next year,” said Kaci Creel, Dairy MAX vice president of corporate communications. “The great news is that dairy farmers have been focused on sustainability for decades. Connecting consumers with the sustainable efforts of our dairy farmers and the nutritional value that dairy brings has never been more important.”
Consumers are always evolving, but Millennials and Gen Z are especially changing the marketplace with their behaviors and expectations of companies and brands. Both groups are environmentally conscious, purpose-driven, the first to try new food products and get most of their information on the internet and social media. Gen Z alone has a spending power of $143 billion and are “digital natives”, meaning they don’t remember a time without the internet.
And people are spending more time watching videos and social media content than ever before. From recipes to TikTok, overall media consumption has increased by 80% in the past year. Dairy checkoff has followed this trend and shifted advertising from traditional to digital – targeting people through social media, blogs, influencer campaigns and streaming TV based on their interests.
Dairy MAX aligns with this approach in the digital space by sharing recipes, farm family stories, sustainability facts and nutrition information in ways people can relate to. In 2020 we reached over 31 million through social media and online advertising, and this year will focus on connecting consumers with the real stories of local dairy farmers. The “Dairy Up Close” video campaign launches this National Dairy Month and will be promoted on Hulu and YouTube.
“Sustainability is not a new story for us, but one that we must tell in a relevant way. By kicking off our Dairy Up Close campaign we hope to connect not only the role dairy farmers play in a sustainable food system, but in feeding communities and the world,” said Creel.
See the stories at DairyUpClose.com.
If you’re a farmer who wants to help your community get up close to your story, consider hosting a farm tour.
