Our Thinking

When working with all manner of manufacturers (whether it be seed, chem, equipment, etc.), there is a prevailing concern regarding the challenge of selling to a farmer customer through a third-party retailer (independent, chain or co-op) who may or may not have the best interests of the manufacturer in mind.

[...] It is natural for groups to fall into certain traps that go along with the challenges of serving a diverse group of stakeholders. There is a commonality among challenges facing industry associations today that, once made aware, can be easily avoided with the right plan in place.

As we continue to settle into our new working realities, it’s difficult to say anything with certainty. That said, even basic trend analysis would dictate that self-isolation + a potentially reduced workload (due to business downturns) can lead to less-than-productive idle time. But instead of simply writing off or compensating for lost hours...

Like many other industries, agriculture has long been relationship-driven, with in-person, “belly-to-belly” contact playing a significant role in the sales process. Due to the self-isolation measures enacted to prevent the spread of COVID-19, [...]

In this content series, we aim to help marketers and agrimarketers alike find opportunity in these trying times, without looking overly opportunistic (no hoarding of hand sanitizer here). As such, we’ll look at some of the common challenges (the Lemons) we are all collectively facing and highlight potential solutions/opportunities (the Lemonade).

The common housefly is considered one of the most agile creatures in the world. From a still position, it can fly from every degree or axis possible and its reaction time is 12 times faster than a human’s. They can see your rolled-up newspaper coming, set a fly path, and move before you can even blink an eye. It’s no wonder why they’re so hard to swat!

At Think Shift, we advocate for starting any strategic marketing campaign with the right people around the table. In 2020, the case is clear for saving a permanent seat for public relations. Many people may hesitate to invite PR out of a (relatively justifiable) worry that putting too much focus on the company’s image may jeopardize the creation of a truly compelling campaign. [...]

A growing trend in marketing is a shift in focus from the customer journey to the customer experience. The customer journey (also known as the buyer’s journey) is the path that people take as they research and acquire a company’s products and services.

Today, I want to talk to you about challenger brands, more importantly, I want to talk to you why I believe agrimarketers need challenger brands more now than ever. So, let’s start by unpacking what a challenger brand is. […]

I’ve been designing creative marketing specifically for the agriculture industry and its various audiences for over six years now, and I’ve come to find that designing for agriculture is no easy task. There’s a very specific kind of person you’re trying to reach and a refined formula for resonating with this audience.