Conforming to Sustainability

After speaking about sustainability for the past couple of weeks in my classes, I have come to realize this subject is not as simple as it may first appear.  Driving home on the weekend to see vacant lands where forests once used to be really hits differently.  These areas can't even be used for farmland as they are too swampy in this area.  So how then, is this considered sustainability?

How a message is portrayed to an audience can be a make it or break it in the marketing world.  The media in itself influences what we like, how we think, how we act, and who we are because more times than not, we make ourselves to believe that we must be like everyone else.  We must conform to how others see the world.  This can be a good thing, but it can also cause problems in the real world. 

In an advertisement, we are often persuaded to buy something or think that we need a particular product in our lives.  With sustainability being such a hot topic in today's economy, it's not surprising that we use sustainability as yet another way to conform to how the rest of the world thinks.  It's not necessarily a bad thing but we need to learn to not lose our sense of uniqueness in the process.

Americans are being convinced that sustainability is necessary. It is the only way- but to what terms? When does the psychological push end and we, as Americans can live without being influenced by others?  The problem is we are always influenced by what is going on around us.  We are programmed to accept the general opinion; to conform to society's views but when will that stop and we can not be influenced by the choices of others?  When will we start thinking for ourselves?

Sustainability is becoming a hot topic in the media because so many people believe it is the only way to "save our planet."  The crazy thing is the general public just doesn't understand.  We, as a country, as a society, as an industry and economy, have become too developed, too industrialized to go back to the way things used to be even 30 years ago.  And yet, the public still listens to the celebrity endorsers who are encouraging people to "save the trees" and "buy less stuff" as a way to help with this problem.

In marketing, a person can easily persuade an audience one way or another using something called the persuasion matrix.  With this process, a marketer is using a number of techniques to convey a message to their target audience which will hopefully influence them enough to sway their opinion on the matter at hand. 

This is exactly what people do when speaking about sustainability.  Often, you will hear people talking of "the good old days" and when "life was simpler" because they believe we could go back to that again and be just as well off.  The problem with this is, it is physically impossible to do this in today's society.  We have become too industrialized, too acceptance of the new ways of society that without them, we would be helpless.  I guarantee one could not go without using the Internet for even a day.  We have just become accustomed to a certain standard of living that even attempting to go back would never work.

Yes, sustainability is important but to what extent?  There's only so much we can do before one will realize we cannot go back in time nor will we want to.  We've made progress in America.  We've built a higher standard of living because we can.  We have the technologies to do it.  For someone to say, sustainability is our only hope does not understand the amount of changes we've made in society.  We've become better in so many areas.  Why would we want to take that away?

I may not see as many trees as I'm driving to my hometown.  I may see more open land than forests.  But I don't see skyscrapers in my small hometown so that's what counts.  Sustainability is about using what we have with caution and making sure we will still have enough for generations to come.  We are working toward a better tomorrow.  So instead of worrying about what we are doing wrong, let's focus on what we are doing right in this country.

We have the technologies to become greater than we already are.  Let's use that to our advantage and continue to progress.  Let's show the world we are more than the waste products we make.

Starbucks Did What?

I can tell you right now, as I sit here writing this, I have a hot cup of coffee sitting next to me.  Coffee, for me and many other people, isn't just a drink, it's a way of life, a lifestyle if you will.  Now personally, I can tell you, I will forever and always drink my coffee black.  Unless of course, I'm going into a coffee shop where you can bet I will become that "basic white girl" who orders the sweetest thing on the menu because, let's be real, you're not paying $5 for the same thing you drink at home.

Now when one goes to a coffee shop, and I'm not talking about the cute little shops you find downtown where you can sit with your mug and stare out the window.  I'm talking your basic Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, or Caribou Coffee.  These places live to give the public what they want, and now they can give even more options.  Now, these coffee shops can gloat about having dairy-free drinks, vegan-friendly options, and the perfect blend of whatever you want.

The word on the street is Starbucks is trying to increase their sustainability by decreasing their carbon footprint.  And just how exactly are they going to do this?  Well, it's a funny thing but Starbucks wants to fully eliminate the use of dairy milk in their menu.  I'm sorry but when did dairy milk create such a huge carbon footprint in this world?

Now before everyone goes crazy and this turns into a rage on the dairy industry, I just want to point out a few facts.

• Dairy milk will forever and always be a healthier and more nutritious option to milk substitutes such as almond, soy, and coconut juices.  It doesn't matter how much you modify and process these juices, they cannot beat what dairy milk already has naturally.  
• Second, dairy milk, being naturally made and not needing a factory for it to be made, cannot produce that much a carbon footprint.  Why?  We live in a country that produces dairy milk all over for the industry.  And everyday we are improving this industry to make it as efficient as we can.
• Third, with dairy milk being produced nationwide, you are able to find it in any state, without having to go too far.  But Starbucks, your drinks aren't just made with milk.  What about the coffee beans you have to import?  What about the dragon fruit which we all well know doesn't grow in this area?  What about the labels and packaging you use on everything?  Your point is invalid.  Milk isn't the problem here.
• Fourth, for anyone who currently uses dairy milk in their drinks, they're not just going to willingly switch to a substitute nut juice.  I've tried all of those drinks people dare to call "milk" and let me tell you, they taste nothing like it.  
• Fifth, this economy and country was built on agriculture.  For you to think you can take that away from us, you are gullible and naive.  This country was built on a foundation of hard work, labor, and tillage of the soil and for those who know this, and hold it close to their hearts, there is no way they will ever turn their backs on such a great industry.

So again Starbucks, I'm just going to ask how you think eliminating dairy milk from the equation is going to help with your sustainability?

But really, what will happen with customers if Starbucks goes through with this idea, and does, in fact, get rid of dairy milk on their menu.  Will customers be influenced to leave and take their business elsewhere?  Will they not care and just adjust to buying something else?  And really, even I wonder, myself, what would I do if Starbucks decided dairy milk just wasn't the way?

How we can determine this can be done a numerous number of ways, but sometimes the best thing to look at is the Consumer Decision-Making Process versus the Internal Psychological Process.  When I first learned about these in class, I was slightly intrigued and slightly annoyed.  Don't get me wrong, I love marketing but I hate psychology, so when my professor started using psychology in his presentation, I was like "hold up.  What are we talking about?"  And this got me thinking.

Consumers are used to buying what they do based off of some original principle.  Often, it is not even their own opinions that influence them but rather what the vast majority of people around them think.  This was truly a remarkable thing to watch and observe.  And the more I learned about these two processes, the more I began to understand these processes.

Let's look at how these two processes are playing out in the Starbucks instance.

1. In the real world, a consumer is faced with a problem and they initially recognize that it is a problem.  See, but internally, the consumer always has a motivation to go along with their problem.  It's like saying there's no pizza in the fridge while internally you are hungry, so therefore you want pizza, thus creating a problem in the first place.  Similarly, with Starbucks' attempt to eliminate dairy milk, this is the physical problem.  But now, consumers are faced with the internal reasoning as to why this is even a problem for them.  And for some, it might not be.
2. With the problem named, now consumers are searching for information on the problem.  Anything to help them make a decision on it.  And already, so many people have both backfired on Starbucks' decision, as well as been in favor of it.  The use of the Internet can make anyone feel intelligent and be able to search whatever information they want within a few seconds.  On the flip side of this, consumers also have a specific perception on the world.  Myself, coming from an agriculture background, automatically had the perception that Starbucks just isn't handling their sustainability the right way, but this is how I view the world, as a constantly changing society with the need for agriculture to always be in it.
3. Next, we move on to alternative evaluation where a consumer begins to compare different brands.  In this particular case, one would compare dairy milk to its substitutes to try to determine which is better or worse in this scenario.  But with this comes our internal attitudes we have of specific things.  I will always be strong willed against nut juices because they are not natural and they are not true milk.  That is my attitude on the subject and nothing anyone will say can change that.
4. Purchase decision can play a big role in what we buy.  We are loyal to a specific brand such as Coca-Cola fans knowing they will never buy Pepsi because they are loyal to their brand.  Similarly, if someone is partial to dairy milk, they will not stray from it.  This, in turn, brings us into the integration process which then gives us rules we've already made in our minds.  We do quick evaluations and mental shortcuts in our brains to determine whether or not we are going to buy a product.  It's as simple as seeing a deformed can of beans and grabbing the one behind it because that one looks normal.  This is our human nature to want the thing that fits our internal beliefs and desires.
5. The final stage in this process is the post purchase evaluation.  And it's as simple as "am I content with what I bought?"  If not, why?  If I were to order a soy latte, I would know for a fact I would not be happy with the final purchase because it is not what I would have originally wanted.  I would've have wanted dairy milk instead.  This, then leads us to the behavioral learning theory where we develop our opinions based on how we react with the end product.

You see, marketing to the consumers requires internal thought processes which you can only imagine.  They change for every person and are different for everyone.  Starbucks, you may be okay if you go through with your sustainability plan to eliminate dairy milk but you may also not be okay.  Every consumer is different.  And every thought process is one in itself.  

Starbucks, you give us options and choices for a reason.  You want to please the largest amount of consumers as possible.  Don't take away our options to "attempt" to make yourself look better to the competition.  We, as consumers need to make these decisions on our own, and when we don't have the power to do that, that is when we lose interest in the things we used to enjoy the most.

I was never a huge Starbucks fan, but that was because I preferred Dunkin Donuts.  I had a brand loyalty already to Dunkin Donuts, but occasionally, I would splurge on a Starbucks drink.  After this announcement, my attitude has been changed and I do not care for the company.  It's my choice.  This is my decision.  But the consumer needs to remember they ALWAYS have a choice.

Colby... Like the Cheese?

If you've been to Wisconsin, then you probably know, cheese isn't just a food, it's a lifestyle.  We have stores dedicated to cheese, gas stations with cheese fridges, and cheese curds (squeaky and deep fried) at every event possible.  So based on this, then you'd have to ask, what in the world is the state cheese of Wisconsin?
It's funny because you would think with our natural love of cheese, we would be sure to have one.  Not to mention, we are, in fact, nicknamed the Cheese State.

So tell me, dear Wisconsinites, why don't we have a state cheese?  

Wisconsin has been branded as the cheese state for decades.  We make the most cheese of any other state in the country.  Better yet, when put on a global platform, Wisconsin, by itself, ranks fourth in the world for production of cheese.  See, we aren't called cheese-heads for nothing.  In fact, cheese-heads, in a way, could be considered a logo of Wisconsin.  And that, my friends, is how you brand a state.

Now, if you haven't heard all of the buzz, here's a quick recap for you; hidden in a little town in central Wisconsin, lies the home of the only cheese which was developed, produced, and sold all in Wisconsin.  Let's go back to 1885, when the first block of Colby Cheese was created in the great town of Colby, Wisconsin.  Joseph Steinwand was a local who wanted to create a unique cheese with a mild, soft, and moist flavor to it.  It's like cheddar, but we made it so much better.  And now, over a century later, this small town is fighting to make Colby cheese the state cheese of Wisconsin, and we are so proud to do it.

Now I say "we", because this hits home for me, because Colby is home for me.  And I will always stand by the accomplishments of my small town.  We, as a town, have been branded by this cheese, and we use it whenever we can.  When I tell people where I'm from, their first response is "like the cheese?"  That response, that initial correspondence, is what makes this bill so incredibly important to not only my town, but the state of Wisconsin.  As Matt Oehmichen, a Colby local stated, "the heartbeat of Wisconsin comes from its rural communities and the small hometowns like mine."  I don't think anyone could've explained Wisconsin any better.

So why then, if we are so known for being "cheese-heads", a "cheese state", and "putting cheese on our cheese": I ask you, Wisconsin Law Makers, what is the holdup in passing our bill?  Why doesn't Wisconsin have a state cheese?  And better yet, why aren't we using the incredible cheese which was developed right here, in the heart of our beautiful state?

Colby cheese is one hundred percent authentic Wisconsin.  As a state, Wisconsin can be known for the Badgers, the Packers, and dairy farms, but other states can relate.  The Minnesota Gophers attempted to keep their Axe.  The New England Patriots have been to the Super Bowl one too many times.  And for some reason, California thinks dairy farming keeps them a "rural" state.  See, other states can match what we have.  But dear Wisconsinites, tell me one state that cares more about cheese than we do?  Tell me one state that has a cheese they can call their own?

Colby doesn't just own their cheese, they take pride in it.  When you enter our little town, you are greeted with a "Welcome to Colby: Home of the Colby Cheese."  Every third weekend of July, stop by for our small town carnival, Colby Cheese Days, where fried cheese curds are sold by the buckets.  This year, in 2020, our own high school, varsity show choir has themed their entire show, "Coming Home to Colby".  We now even have our own original song.  And you can bet, our show choir kids danced with cheese-heads on.

Cheese, in Wisconsin, is a way of life.  You're backyard bar-b-ques are not complete without a slice of cheese on your hamburger.  You're fridge is not full if the top drawer isn't filled with cheese.  You're dairy breakfasts aren't the same without a huge bowl of fresh, squeaky cheese curds.  And you're town, county, and state fairs are not real if there isn't a fried cheese curd stand.

We are forever branded by the cheese-head.  We can't get rid of it.  We take pride in our cheese and we enjoy every squeak.  Wisconsin without cheese wouldn't be Wisconsin.  Stop denying us the right, and give us our state cheese.  We've been branded.  This look isn't going away.

Currently, our bill to make Colby, the state cheese, is being stalled by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.  They believe, if Colby Cheese, is given a state title, it will be at a marketing advantage to other cheeses in the state. We are also being halted by Representative Tauchen's Office.  Why he has sent excuse after excuse about this bill we don't know, but there is a way to end that.

Well, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, this is what I have to say.  We do not care about the "marketing advantage" Colby Cheese may or may not receive when this bill passed.  We, as a small town and as a state, care about creating an image, a brand for this state.  You preach "the excellence of our dairies and Wisconsin cheeses" and yet, you stand in the way of giving our state the recognition it deserves of such a prideful accomplishment.

Colby Cheese is home to Wisconsin.  It cannot be tied to any other state because it was created here.  So why wouldn't we want to recognize that and proudly show the nation and the world, that we are, in fact, the cheese state.

Here's what I need you to do:

• Make a Statement
• We need to show Wisconsin Law Makers that this is a statewide issue, and there is awareness with it outside of the Colby town walls
• Join the fight for this bill to pass
• Put the pressure on Tauchen's Office and Staff
• email their offices and tell them you're in favor of the bill &
• rep.tauchen@legis.wisconsin.gov
• call them to say you support Colby Cheese as the State Cheese
• 608-266-3079
• Create Awareness
• We are proud to be the Cheese State so don't hold it in
• Post pictures, captions, videos.  Anything to bring the attention to our pride of our cheese
• Pass the Bill
• Give Wisconsin the brand it deserves, but let's put it into the law
• We won't just be known as the Cheese State, we will actually be the Cheese State

Support the Bill.  Support the Community.  

Support Colby Cheese.

Go Organic... Or Maybe Don't

Over the past decade or so, the agricultural world has been infused with outsider views of what the "right" way to to farm is and what "healthy" food actually is.  When looking into trends, you will shortly find a long, detailed list of the many trends which are being used as a way to manipulate the general public into believing the supreme basis of agriculture and farming (what the entire country of the United States was built up with) is a hoax.  But when did we ever stop to think about that maybe agriculture isn't the problem here.  Maybe it's the countless people who are just looking to earn an extra dollar with a new idea.  Maybe it's the numerous souls who are dragged into every new fad at the hope of becoming what every person dreams of becoming, whatever that is.  Or maybe it's the millions of consumers who are being tricked into thinking that nothing is healthy unless there are "non-GMO", "organic", "antibiotic free", "all natural", "pesticide free", and "home grown" labels on their products.

Today, we are so caught up in the labeling of our materialistic items that we are forgetting and missing the main point at hand.  The concept of positioning a product or service into the existent marketplace is beneficial when it has something worthy to offer.  Through positioning, the ideas of organic and vegan foods and diets are being given more credit and attention than they deserve.  But that is the whole idea of positioning a product, is it not?

When one uses positioning to get a product into the marketplace, they are grasping that the thing that will make this product stand out from the rest.  They want the media, the consumers, even other markets and businesses to hold their attention on these products.  For example, if one person so much as looks at an organic food in a grocery store, their attention is held and drawn into that food.  Without them realizing it, that person is soon wondering what makes it organic in the first place?  Is it truly better for me?  Which leads to questions of should I be buying this for myself instead? And right there, is how positioning can entrap a person into this new product. 

It's rather genius, in a way, but this brings us back to organic in itself.  Although marketed to be better, healthier, more nutritious, and so much more, the one thing a consumer lacks the most of is information.  Most people will see the product, read what they are given, and make their opinion based on what the product gives them.  But to find the hidden truths, you have to dig deeper into the product.

Organic, yes may seem like a better choice.  They brag about their ways of growing their produce like their system is the greatest ever made.  However, if one were to look more into depth on organic, one would find their tactics are impractical and simply a way to gain more money.

• If we look at the products in a grocery store setting, you will find every single product with the "organic" label on it, is higher in price.  Why?  The "organic" label creates this vision that consumers are paying a higher price for a better product.  But why is it better?
• Labeling: organic foods are often fitted with other labels such as "all natural", "antibiotic free", "non-GMO", and "cage free".  But let's break down each of these labels for you, the consumer, to understand.
• All Natural: The USDA does not define all natural any different from the labeling natural, telling you right then and there, that it is used exclusively for marketing tactics, especially since the USDA does not regulate this labeling: meaning it can be put on anything!  Natural labeling then is defined as not containing any artificial ingredients or preservatives.  So I hate to burst your bubble, but your "all natural" popcorn that you paid five extra dollars for, is no different than the one that was two dollars.
• Antibiotic Free: everyone's favorite run-to for buying food, especially meat.  Well, here's the kicker for you, EVERY FOOD THAT IS PACKAGED AND SHIPPED TO THE STORE OF YOUR CONVENIENCE IS ANTIBIOTIC FREE!  Consumers do not realize the amount of testing that is done to ensure their foods are safe for them to eat.  Antibiotic free labels are not regulated by the USDA because everything put into the market has already been tested multiple times.
• Non-GMO: my personal favorite labeling.  The one thing people fail to understand is almost every food has at some point been genetically modified.  Better yet, even some of the seeds used in organic farming, were first genetically modified.  How do you think seedless grapes and watermelon came to be?  They didn't just appear, no, they were genetically modified to be that way.  The new labeling system that the USDA came out with didn't even bother to mention the requirements for something to be labeled as a non-GMO food.  Are we seeing a pattern yet?
• Cage Free: in order for a product to be labeled this, the animals cannot be contained or confined to a specific space.  Here's where the grey lines start to form.  For example, just because a chicken is cage free, does not mean it can see the sun.  Cage free simply means it is able to roam.  Until you physically go to that farm and see for yourself what "cage free" looks like a consumer will never understand.
• Now, organic loves to claim the attribute that they are pesticide free, meaning they do not use any pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides on their crops to maintain a healthy production.  So how then, do these farmers keep the bugs away?
• First, you must remember, the use of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides is beneficial when they are used in the appropriate amounts, contained, and watched carefully, as is done in conventional farming.
• Second, around two million Americans have a garden of their own.  How do they keep their bugs from eating their plants?  Do you let the bugs eat them and hope for the best? For those who don't have a garden, do you have a plant in the house?  What happens when you find a bug on it? Or what if there are rodents or termites in your walls?  Are you going to tell me that you wouldn't call an exterminator to come get rid of them using their chemicals?  This is the same thing, whether people realize it or not.
• Third, when we use these words: pesticide, herbicide, insecticide, right away, we are brought under an imaginary shelter to get away from those "unpleasant" words.  Here's what the general public doesn't realize; these words aren't the problem, it's the picture that the media has portrayed with these words that people are so scared of, which brings us back to the idea of positioning.  These words were positioned in a way to get consumers not to like them, thus creating a problem in the world of agriculture.
• Healthy.  Nutritious.  Better.  These are words we like to use to make ourselves feel better about buying the more expensive product.  But, is it actually better for us?
• Organic & Vegan Diets
• The thing everyone is trying right now is diets, and more specifically, ones that are organic and vegan.  Anything that claims to help you lose weight, look better, feel healthier, people are more than willing to try, and that right there is the problem.
• Not only are consumers believing that dairy and proteins are bad for consumption, we are believing that they are bad in their entirety.  
• Milk: filled with calcium for stronger bones and teeth
• Red Meat: filled with iron and protein to keep your metabolism up
• Eggs: filled with Vitamin D and iron AND all 9 essential amino acids which are needed in your everyday diet to survive
• Organic substitutes the necessities of red meats and eggs with the use of protein powders which the public believe to be just as good but they're not.  I cannot stress this enough but getting REAL protein into one's diet is essential.  The use of protein powders which are often put into shakes and drinks can only mimic the idea of your red meat and eggs but they do not qualify as the same thing, nor will it taste the same. 
• Easy example: Oreos versus chocolate wafer cookies.  Although, similar in looks, nothing can beat the great taste of a true Oreo cookie, especially when it's dipped in real, whole dairy milk. 
• Almond, Coconut, & Soy Juices
• Coming from an agriculture background, I refuse to give these nut juices the pleasure of being called milk for the simple reason of they aren't.  Milk as defined is an opaque, white fluid, rich in protein and fat, SECRETED BY MAMMALS for the nourishment of their young.  The above juices are man made, not naturally made by the body, and therefore, cannot even qualify in the general definition that comes up in any Google search bar.
• The use of positioning in marketing has decided the best place for these juices to make their appearance is in the dairy isle, because they're supposed to be replacements for the better of society.  But has anyone cared to look at how much "healthier" these products are?  None of these juices can even compete with the amount of protein, calcium, and potassium that is in whole dairy milk.  
• Better yet, the amount of energy, time, and wasted products that are used to create these nut juices isn't worth the loss when it is so much easier and more natural, for those of you who still appreciate that word, to simply use real dairy milk.

I dare you, the next time you hear or read the word "organic", to stop and actually take the time to look into the product a little more as you already should be.  This marketing scheme is simply to get you to buy the product, but the benefits aren't as big and bright as one might originally think.  When one truly knows the behind-the-scenes of what goes into a product, maybe then they'll stop and put the more expensive, filled with false labels product back on the shelf, and realize they don't need that in their lives.

In the marketing world, we are all about getting our product out on the market and getting people to see it.  We want it to catch the attentions of every soul we can find.  But at what cost?  A product can be put into a market and so strategically positioned that the average consumer could not find a single detail wrong with it.  But all you have to do is peel back the labels and realize it's no different than the rest.

The choice is yours.  What label will you choose?