FIELDS OF DIFFERENCE
what’s inside Introduction......................................1-3 Strategy........................................... 3-4 Tagline.............................................. Radio Spot....................................... 5-6 Online Advertisements..................... 7-8 Tradeshow..................................... 9-10 Budget.............................................. 16 Conclusion........................................ 17
I N T R O D U C T I ON
The Challenge Competition is stiff in the agriculture business, and it’s becoming more difficult to determine the differences amongst corporations and their services. The challenge for DuPont Pioneer is to strengthen their brand image by competitively positioning the copmany against that competitor. A campaign will be developed on the reseach and differences that are found between DuPont and Bayer AG/CropScience.
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INTROD UCT IO N
solution This capital campaign reaches to the
farming communities to differentiate DuPont Pioneer from its competitors. It will showcase the qualities that really matter: quality and performance. This campaign will rely heavily on positioning and building awareness on how DuPont Pioneer is different from the competition. Targeting farmers based on location and previous seed purchasing behavior will be a fundamental portion of the campaign.
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CO M P ET I T I O N
A N A LY S I S
COMPETITION ANALYSIS Bayer AG + Bayer CropScience
Background Following the acquisition of the crop science division of former French pharmaceutical giant, Aventis in 2001 for 6.6 billion dollars, Bayer AG restructured their organization by combining the newly acquired division with their already established plant protection division, to create a subsidiary, Bayer CropScience in 2002. Bayer CropScience, headquartered in Monheim, Germany, is a world leader in a variety of fields within crop science, including crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, plant biotechnology and seed production. Bayer CropScience’s North American branch and overall management of their seed division is located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, near Raleigh. The seed giant offers more than 2,500 varieties of seeds across 28 different crops, including soybean, cotton, rice and canola. Financial Facts and Market Share Bayer AG • 108th on Forbes Global 2000 list of top companies in 2014. • 126.4 billion dollar net worth. • 56.03 billion in revenue for 2014. Bayer CropScience • 10.4 billion in total revenue for 2014. • 2.6 billion was accumulated in the North American region, an 11.6 percent growth from 2013. • Owns an estimated 2-3% of total US market share of the overall seed industry. Bayer CropScience is a top ten seed company; nationally and globally, but they are a relatively small player compared to industry titans like Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer and Syngenta. However, they are a very diverse company and the world’s largest producer of pesticides. According to a 2014 announcement, Bayer CropScience developed and is currently implementing a 4-year plan to invest over 1 billion dollars into the American seed market, leading to improvements in research & development and creation of infrastructure, such as new laboratories, greenhouses, seed-processing plants and breeding stations. Bayer’s investments are due to its discovery of low risk opportunities within the United States.
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COMPET IT IO N
A N A LY S I S
Advertising In 2010, Bayer AG sought out new management of their American advertising and marketing departments. Omnicom Group and WPP combined services to win the billion-dollar account for Bayer, making it what is believed to be the largest account review and consolidation in advertising history. According to Forbes, Bayer spent nearly 442 million dollars on advertising in 2008, across all types of media in the United States, including print, Internet and television. Internet and magazine advertising reportedly were the only two types that saw increases from the year prior. According to Adage, Bayer AG is currently the 36th largest advertiser in the United States, with its largest brands featured in their consumer care (pharmaceuticals) division, Aleve and Claritin. They are seeking to diversify outlets of promotion and explore alternatives to their television dominated plans. Bayer CropScience produces mainly digital videos and magazine advertisements. Reputation and legal troubles in the United States Bayer AG has taken many criticisms for their questionable practices during their over 150-year heritage and many Americans have retaliated through complaints and lawsuits. A large portion of the American population heavily scrutinizes companies like Bayer CropScience for their involvements in genetically modifying food and likely have good reason, due to the company’s checkered past. The following are common issues from Bayer’s past that have damaged their reputation. • During World War II, Bayer was a division of IG Farben, a German chemical industry conglomerate, who financially supported the Nazi party and produced much of the poison gas used in concentration camps, one of the methods used to murder nearly 6 million Jews. • A 2003 investigation by the New York Times revealed that Bayer AG had used criminal practices by knowingly selling Aids contaminated blood plasma to thousands of hemophiliacs in the 1970’s and 80’s. This led to thousands of lawsuits and a 500 million dollar settlement. • In 2006, The U.S. Agriculture Department discovered trace amounts of an experimental pesticide, LibertyLink in U.S long-grain rice. This led to more than 11,000 farmers filing claims for crop damage, accusing Bayer AG of irresponsible research practices, ending in a 750 million dollar settlement. Compared to DuPont Pioneer Bayer CropScience and DuPont Pioneer are each top ten seed companies in the world. DuPont Pioneer commands much more share of the global seed market, with more than a 17 percent and 6.3 billion dollars of annual revenue in the United States alone. Both companies offer a variety of seeds, with DuPont leading in the national sale of soybean and corn, while Bayer succeeds with cotton, rice and soybeans, to a lower extent. Bayer began as a chemical and pharmaceutical company, later expanding into the crop science and seed industries, leaving them a large gap to make up.
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ST R ATE GY
STRATEGY Advertising will convince farmers that DuPont Pioneer puts more focus on high performance and quality than competitors. Support will be a greater variety of seed traits to thrive in a greater variety of environments and soils. Tone will be trustworthy and informative. The messaging in our campaign revolves around DuPont Pioneer’s commitment to offer greater variety and quality of seeds than any other seed company in the world, which is supported by their offering of over 2,500 varieties of seeds across 28 different crops. Farmers are our primary targets, because they are the key decision makers in the seed buying process. According to the USDA, the average farmer is 57-years old and farmers over the age of 75 have seen an increase by 30 percent over the past two years. Wisdom often comes with experience, meaning most farmers will likely be conservative decision makers. We have incorporated a trustworthy and informative tone to foster a relationship and convince these farmers that DuPont Pioneer will be as transparent as possible.
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S T RATE G Y:
TAG L I N E
FIELDS OF DIFFERENCE
TAGLINE
This tagline is focused on the fact that DuPont Pioneer has a much larger selection of seed traits than much of its competition. Through this larger selection, their seeds are a better purchase in order to properly utilize the entirety of each field, no matter the conditions of the the soil or weather. So, the fields themselves have differences. At the same time, the advantage provided by DuPont Pioneer products creates a field of difference between themselves and the competition. It is also a play on the word “field� because DuPont Pioneer provides an agricultural product. The tagline is memorable, and teases as to what the theme of the campaign is: Providing quality through the difference that DuPont Pioneer offers.
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R A D I O
SPOT
RADIO SPOT Radio is a pretty standard piece of a campaign, but it is an especially good way to reach our target of farmers. Farmers spend a lot of time in vehicles, both in the normal capacity of driving cars for errands, but also in the capacity of their work. Farmers drive in combines, tractors, etc. to plow and harvest their fields. A more recent feature of farm equipment was to add radios for entertainment while farmers and their assistants are working. This guarantees a good sized captive audience of farmers every day during the growing and harvesting seasons.
The spot has a somber and factual mood to it while telling a story, which ties back to our creative strategy. It has a vaguely religious reference in it to a parable Jesus told about a farmer sowing seeds; it’s highly edited, but a farmer might still pick up on it. Farmers have a high propensity to be religious. The spot also goes with the creative strategy in emphasizing the variety of seed traits that DuPont Pioneer offers as well as the positive impact that has on farming capabilities.
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R AD IO
S P O T
“DuPont Pioneer - Fields of Difference” TRT :30
SFX: Music Swells Up Narrator: SFX: Combine/Tractor Sounds
Not all fields are created the same. A farmer sows his seed in a variety of conditions. Some fall on good soil and with the farmer’s help, grow a hearty crop. But some fall on rocky places or dry places or soil without the proper nutrients. DuPont Pioneer has a seed trait for all soil types so you’ll think every field has the best soil. DuPont Pioneet: Fields of Difference.
SFX: Music Fades Out
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M A I LI N G
P I E C E S
MAILING PACKAGE
The mailing portion of this campaign is the direct targeting piece of the campaign. This mailing package consists of seed tags, a seed bag, a canvas tote bag and a print card with information about an upcoming tradeshow. The purpose of the mailing package is to appeal to our target of farmeres, which frequently visit tradeshows in order to pick the best products for their businesses. These pieces will be directly targeting to individuals based on past farming product selections and geographic location to distribute location and crop-specific information. These will be mailed in a 8x11 mailing flat. The print flyer is for not only positioning DuPont Pioneer as the leading source of the performance and quality of their seeds, but as a call to action to take action with DuPont. The copy in the flyer reflects the dialogue in the radio spot, which will keep the campaign cohesive and consistent. The call to action is offering a free discount promotion The seed tags are a large portion of the information that is being shared with the farmers. The tags have the official seed name and the seed’s profile, which includes the key environments for growth, suitability and soil condition recommendations. These will be effective because they are small and easy to store and does not an overwhelming amount of information. These tags include all of the essential information to learn about each product. Lists of farmers and the crops they usually produce exist and are readily available for purchase. This will be a fundamental portion of the campagn. Obtaining those lists will allow DuPont Pioneer the ability of sending seed cards that specifically target farmers and their past growing behaviors. For example, a farmer that typically grows corn each year will receive this package with several seed tags of all DuPont Pioneer corn products. The seed tags will be stored in a burlap seed bag. The seed bag will act as the connecting piece to the trade show and the farmer. If the farmer brings this bag to the tradeshow, he or she will receive a discount promotion. This giveaway is a one time use promotion for their purchase of DuPont Pioneer products. The large piece of the mailing package is a canvas tote bag with the DuPont Pioneer logo on it. This tote is for the purpose of going to the tradeshows. When farmers visit tradeshows each year, they are given a large quantity of giveaways and pamphlets. The totes will be an effective reminder piece for those attending the tradeshow because the DuPont Pioneer logo will be constantly on display.
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M AILING
P I E CE S
burlap seed bag & Seed tags
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T R A D E SH OW
print flyer
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M AILING
P I E CE S
Canvas tote
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T R A D E SH OW
TRADESHOW DuPont Pioneer, as well as most other agriculturally-
related companies are present at tradeshows every year because farmers go to them to find the latest technology in the agricultural industry. From a list of all tradeshows taking place in 2016, many are suitable, but a selection of five work well as an example. These five show an array of locations throughout the U.S. as well as throughout the year, but more focused on the beginning of the year before buying and growing season. DuPont Pioneer will have a booth at these tradeshows with a few managerial employees, some informational pieces, and the print mailouts of the seed cards from this campaign. Along with those seed cards, DuPont Pioneer will have mailed out burlap seed bags with the information for this campaign and the DuPont Pioneer logo on it. If farmers also bring the seed bag that were mailed to them a week or two before the show, they will be given a prize, which is a card with a one time use promotion with the farmer’s next seed purchase from DuPont Pioneer. The bag will come in handy while they are at the tradeshow to hold the giveaways they will receive from other booths and will also make the DuPont Pioneer logo constantly on display. The booth will be stylized to match the campaign’s look to carry the theme. The booth will also carry the ideas of the creative strategy by staying informative, specifically on the different seed traits that DuPont Pioneer offers and the high quality of them.
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T RADES HO W
TRADESHOW List Triumph of Agriculture Expo | Omaha, NE 2016 Show: Mar 9-10, Omaha, NE 2017 Show: Mar 8-9, Omaha, NE Contact: Bob Mancuso Toll-free : 800/475-SHOW (7469) | Phone: 402/346-8003 | Fax : 402/346-5412 Email: bmancuso@showofficeonline.com | Website: www.omahafarmandranch. com Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Triumph-of-Ag-Expo/556813694348541 Northwest Iowa Ag Outlook Conference and Trade Show | Spencer, IA 2016 Show: Feb 16, Spencer, IA 2017 Show: Feb 21, Spencer, IA Contact: Becky Fear-Hatting Phone: 712/262-5680 | Fax : 712/262-5747 Email: bfear@smunet.net | Website: www.agoutlook.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpencerChamber NAMA’s Fall Conference | Overland Park, KS 2016 Show: Sep 20-22, Raleigh, NC Contact: Jenny Pickett Phone: 913/491-6500 | Fax : 913/491-6502 Email: jennyp@nama.org | Website: nama.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/National-Agri-Marketing-Association-NAMA/105586383537 Twitter: www.twitter.com/officialNAMA Heart of America Farm Show | Beggs, OK Contact: Kevin Kite Toll-free : 888/244-1982 | Phone: 918/344-9006 | Fax : 918/827-4687 Email: exhibit@heartofamericafarmshow.com | Website: www.heartofamericafarmshow.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/HeartOfAmericaFarmShow Twitter: www.twitter.com/hoafarmshow Ag Expo | Lethbridge, AB 2016 Show: Feb 24-26, Lethbridge, AB Contact: Doug Kryzanowski Phone: 403/317-3213 | Fax : 403/320-8139 Website: www.exhibitionpark.ca
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B U D GE T
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in conclusion
The DuPont Pioneer campaign consists of a radio spot and a mailing package with informational seed tags, a burlap seed bag, a flyer and a canvas tote. The third execution consists of recommendations for tradeshow involvement and promotions. These executions will be a great start to move the DuPont Pioneer positioning objective forward. We would love to work with you in continuing to position DuPont Pioneer.
CONTACT US Lauren Grabau Kelsey Rooney Aaron Ventling
lauren.grabeu@drake.edu kelsey.rooney@drake.edu aaron.ventling@drake.edu
Sources
http://cnnfn.cnn.com/2001/10/02/europe/bayer/ https://www.bayercropscience.us/who-we-are/history http://www.bayer.com/en/1863-1881.aspx https://www.bayercropscience.us/products/seeds http://www.nationofchange.org/10-companies-controlling-world-s-seed-supply-1382363748 http://www.cropscience.bayer.com/Company/Facts-and-Figures.aspx http://www.forbes.com/companies/bayer/ http://www.gmwatch.org/gm-firms/10558-the-worlds-top-ten-seed-companies-who-owns-nature http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/16bayer-omnicom-group-bbdo-leadership-cmo-network-ad-review.html http://adage.com/article/agency-news/bayer-searches-creative-media-digital-agency-record/300951/ http://ahrp.org/auschwitz60-year-anniversary-the-role-of-ig-farben-bayer/ http://ahrp.org/bayer-documents-aids-tainted-blood-killed-thousands-of-hemophiliacs/ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bayer-sued-by-hemophiliacs/