Everyone’s Dairy - NDC Communication Manifesto 2022

Everyone’s Dairy N AT I O N A L D A I R Y C O U N C I L C O M M U N I C AT I O N M A N I F E S T O 2022

ndc.ie

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Introduction

‘We must all play our part’ 2022 is shaping up to be a year of real challenge for Irish dairy, played out in a very public arena. This will be the year when the reality of what it takes to achieve national emissions targets will sink in and when people will realise that, when the phrase ‘everyone must play their part’ is used, it means all of us.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions means changes to our lifestyles, changes in the way we consume, changes in the way we travel, and changes in how we behave.

For our dairy industry - part of the agricultural sector that accounts for 35% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions, the bulk of which are methane - this presents an issue beyond that of reducing our emissions total by 22% by 2030. It’s an issue of perception.

The picture painted by sections of the media has not helped. It has attempted to over-simplify the complex issue of methane vs carbon dioxide and has reached the conclusion that reducing emissions is a simple as reducing livestock numbers.

Two narratives have emerged from this – first, a reduction in emissions from livestock is a ‘quick fix’, allowing everyone else to get on with business as usual and second, that a reduction in Ireland’s national herd is the only way to meet our targets.

In both cases, they are Irish solutions to Irish challenges, seemingly ‘agreed’ on without ever raising our view to the global panorama.

Somewhere along the way, the story of Irish dairy has been lost. It’s a story of 18,000 family farms and 60,000 jobs, of exports to 130 countries and €5bn a year in revenue to the Irish economy.

What’s also been lost is pride in our heritage.

Dairy farming has been taking place in Ireland for 4,000 years because our country has the right climate and the right soil and is 65% pasture. 72% of Irish people are saying they are buying more Irish food and drink brands – and they should include Irish dairy amongst those purchases.

Irish dairy can be wholly sustainable – in the true sense of the word – and can provide a future for generations of farmers to come.

Our job, in 2022, is to tell the story of Irish dairy and restore pride and trust in its quality, its sustainability, and its role in a balanced, healthy diet.

We will celebrate and endorse dairy consumption and confirm our social licence to produce.

Z O Ë K AVA N A G H Chief Executive Officer

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ONE DAIRY VO I C E N AT I O N A L DA IRY CO U N C IL M A N IFE S TO 202 2 In 2022, Irish dairy needs a central, consolidated voice, one that champions the industry not just in the wider agricultural sector and amongst legislators, but with the woman and man on the street – the consumers of dairy products – the people who, ultimately, grant us our social licence to produce. The NDC will be that voice.

CONNEC TING THE FARME R AND THE CON SUME R

The NDC will re-connect the dairy farmer with the dairy consumer, encouraging a greater understanding of what the farmer does and what it takes to do it – thereby building trust in the production system and restoring pride in Irish dairy.

HE ALTH AND NUTRITION

The NDC will promote the nutritional benefits of dairy products and their place in a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet. It will counteract misinformation and will be an easily accessible source of trusted nutritional information, as well as recipes which celebrate and showcase Irish dairy.

RE S E ARCH AND UNDE R S TANDING

The NDC will use qualitative and quantitative research – proprietary and third-party – to measure sentiment, behaviours and attitudes, gauging the impact of its own activities and adjusting their strategic direction as necessary.

DAIRY SUS TAINAB ILIT Y

The NDC will raise awareness of Irish dairy’s impact against the four pillars of sustainability – economy,

society, community and environment – to develop understanding of what sustainability means for Irish dairy and showcase some of the key initiatives that are improving the industry’s performance.

MADE IN THE RE PUB LIC OF IRE L AND

The NDC will provide consumers with the opportunity to show their support for the Irish economy and for Irish jobs - on dairy farms and in the wider dairy sector - and the reassurance of knowing that dairy products with the NDC Guarantee are both farmed and processed locally.

CHAMPION S OF THE FUTURE

The NDC will champion the Irish dairy industry’s social licence to produce the public’s tacit agreement that dairy produce and dairy farming are central to Irish society and to the health of the nation, and that dairy farming and dairy farmers should be assured of their long-term futures.

In establishing these six platforms the NDC creates a position – for itself and for the industry – from which its voice cannot be ignored, presenting opportunity for real debate on the issues and the development of a different, informed dairy narrative.

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Marketing and Communication

IN C LUS IVE , A S PIR ATIO NAL , MOTIVATIONAL AND R E LE VANT

The NDC Manifesto’s Six Platforms are built upon a range of marketing and communication activities that drive the key dairy messages home while being inclusive, aspirational, motivational and, importantly, relevant to a wide and diverse audience. Some activities are particularly high-profile, driving an immediate perception shift.

DAIRY AMBA S SADOR S

The NDC has identified well-known figures in the field of sport and lifestyle, and has engaged with them to promote overall awareness of Irish excellence in dairy production, to be Sports and Schools Ambassadors, and to celebrate the role of milk and dairy as part of a healthy and active lifestyle. The NDC Dairy Ambassadors have been chosen to appeal to specific audiences who need reassurance and positive support in their dairy choices.

FROM THE G ROUND UP

In 2021, the NDC sharpened its focus on the production system, making advocacy for the farmer its priority, and developed a new brand platform – ‘From The Ground Up’.

This platform has built an understanding of progressive, sustainable farming practices, pairing the emotional with the educational, shifting consumer sentiment and building pride in Irish dairy.

In 2022, we build on this campaign, introducing new elements including our high profile Dairy Ambassadors. While we continue to showcase our hard-working dairy farmers, we also move beyond the production system to introduce key consumption moments, helping our target audience to join the dots from the farm to the quality Irish dairy in their fridge.

S PON SOR S HIP AND E VE NT S

Tour de Picnic is the annual charity cycle and run from Dublin to the Electric Picnic Festival in Stradbally, Co Laois. This year is expected to be its biggest yet, with 1,500 participants. As sponsor, the NDC is targeting the important 18-30 audience

that is difficult to reach via traditional media.

Healthfest is the NDC school event where qualified experts and engaging celebrities speak with teenagers about a range of topics covering physical health, mental health & wellbeing and nutrition.

QUALIT Y MILK AWARDS

The NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards recognise and celebrate excellence in dairy farming with a focus on milk quality, animal welfare and sustainable farming practices. The Awards help a broad audience understand that Irish dairy farming is not just a business but a way of life, one which sees farmers learn their craft from the generations that went before.

The judges are respected figures from agriscience, academia and the media, and the announcements of the finalists and of the overall winners shine a positive public spotlight on the industry.

NDC GUAR ANTE E OF ORIG IN

In 2009, the NDC introduced a packaging mark giving consumers in the Republic of Ireland the reassurance of knowing that their milk or cream purchases were farmed and processed locally. In 2022, the NDC has revitalised the trademark, extending it to other dairy products. The NDC trademark is a guarantee of origin, strengthening the presence of Irish dairy on the shelf and highlighting Irish dairy products as clear choices for sustainable, balanced and nutritious eating.

industry, predominantly through being quoted in NDC media communication and also by participating in media interviews mainly with regional broadcast, print and digital media. The Farmer Ambassadors are supported with regular briefings, key findings from NDC research, current dairy messaging, and updates on NDC marketing and communication initiatives.

PODC A S T S

‘Dairy Matters’ is an ongoing series of podcasts developed and produced by the NDC, hosted on the NDC website (and the main commercial podcast platforms) and promoted via social media and mainstream media relations. The podcasts feature interviews with people either directly involved in dairy farming, or who work in related industries and organisations, or who have a particular interest in – or passion for – dairy. The interviews – with farmers, with Irish athletes and with food writers and broadcasters – are aimed at the dairy consumer, making dairy more personal and more positive.

ME DIA OUTRE ACH

FARME R AMBA S SADOR S

The NDC has a growing roster of Farmer Ambassadors who sign up, and are trained, to advocate on behalf of the Irish dairy

A pipeline of media-friendly, dairy industry-related stories is in constant development, based on NDC research and insight, nutritional and health updates and suggestions, marketing and communication activities, calendar events, commentary on industry initiatives and developments, and ‘calls to action’. These stories are developed to include hooks for media coverage and interviews, and issued – accompanied by quotations from NDC Farmer Ambassadors – to mainstream (general) media.

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Research

ID E NTIF Y IN G THE C HALLE N G E S

NDC marketing and communication strategy is formulated in response to the challenges identified by sentiment research1 carried out every year amongst a representative sample of the Irish population. In 2021, the research found: • Positive attitudes to dairy remain, but the view that it’s essential is declining • Younger adults are far less positive about dairy products • Erosion of trust in farmers continues Individual statistics from the research show that many people remain to be convinced about dairy’s role in a healthy and active lifestyle, that dairy is part of a sustainable diet, that dairy farmers care about the environment, and that they can trust dairy farmers to do the right thing.

Assertion

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree + Agree

Dairy products are part of a healthy balanced diet

42%

73%

Dairy can be part of a sustainable diet

39%

68%

I trust Irish dairy farmers to care for the environment

32%

59%

Converting people from ‘agree’ to ‘strongly agree’ is the priority – not just for the NDC but for the entire dairy sector – as it is the only way to ensure that people in Ireland are wholly behind their native dairy production system.

According to the research, one in three people claim to have seen the NDC ‘From The Ground Up’ advertising campaign, or to be aware of the campaign.

Their reactions show that the campaign is shifting attitudes, particularly in the areas of dairy farming and the environment, and pride in Ireland’s dairy heritage.

I am It makes me encouraged to proud of our see that farmers heritage in are thinking dairy farming about the environment %

33%

Ireland’s grass-fed dairy is superior to most other countries

48%

%

It prompts me to think differently about dairy farming % 20

Strongly

45

36

34

Slightly

I trust Irish dairy farmers to behave appropriately

1

Of course, when the percentage strongly agreeing with the statement is combined with the percentage agreeing with the statement, the outcome is more favourable – but it’s still nowhere near enough.

60%

32 34

24 15

74%

B&A National Dairy Council Dairy Sentiment Research Sept 2021

Very little Not at all

12

Don’t know

4 4

Any applies

79%

11

18

6

4

68%

54%

Nutrition

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HE ALTH Y, BAL AN C E D AND SUS TAINAB LE

The NDC is a vocal advocate for the nutritional benefits of dairy products and their place in a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet. The organisation’s team of nutritionists works to inform and educate consumers, as indicated by NDC sentiment research, in a number of ways.

1 . AC ADE MIC RE S E ARCH – MONITORING , E VALUATING AND COMMI S S IONING

3 . ME DIA E NGAG E ME NT AND CL ARIFIC ATION ON DAIRY MI SCONCE P TION S

• Promoting new research to further knowledge on dairy and health

• Media releases – digital, print and broadcast

• Supporting existing Irish research e.g. supplementary analysis of National Nutrition Surveys

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Social media content

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Interviews and opinion pieces

All these initiatives establish the NDC as an influencer in the field of healthy and active lifestyles, fuelled by a nutritious sustainable diet.

2 . DAIRY E DUC ATION AND HE ALTH PROMOTION

• Consumer booklets on nutrition and healthy eating – available from the NDC website

From this position, the organisation can engage in real and informed debate with the purveyors of myth and misconception – and those who seek to portray dairy as an unhealthy food choice – supporting the Irish government’s vision for a healthy nation and validating people’s choice to consume.

• Online learning modules to educate stakeholders and consumers • Virtual events for consumers promoting the role of dairy for health • Promoting the role of dairy in Sports Nutrition – collaboration with Sport Ireland • Dairy nutrition education lectures and presentations 2021

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SPORTS NUTRITION HANDBOOK

PD events for health professionals C on the latest research relevant to dairy and health

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Scientific publications for health professionals and industry members

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International collaboration – working with international colleagues to promote dairy science at significant global nutrition events @NDC_ie

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FOR FUELLING WISE ISE SPORT & EXERC

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