The Visual Web
Considering what was discussed in today’s lecture, how could agricultural organizations/companies creatively use Vine and Instagram (photos and/or video)? Provide a few specific examples or advice.
Posted on July 18, 2014, in Discussion Question. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
ACOM 5308 Utilizing Emerging Media 
Vine and Instagram can be used in the agricultural industries for a variety of things.
1. Allow to highlight brand advocates. Example- Genex, Zoetis, Vitaferm, etc.
2. Allow people to celebrate holidays in which they may have special sales going on.
3. Great way to show off a new product and maybe even how it works.
4. Virtual Tours- allows people to see farms and business through the use of their cell phone
5. Promoting contests- example- TN Beef Industry Council, NCBA, Surechamp
6. Engage others in conversation about products/services.
These sites were not designed with AG in mind, but ag people have been smart enough to use a lot of social media sites to enhance our industry.
Both visual media sites could be used in a variety of ways to promote the positive images of agricultural organizations/companies. Using these sites could help provide transparency to the industry, and bring a new level of interaction with the public.
1. Offer promotions to encourage the use of their products.
2. Increase public awareness about agriculture industry.
3. Promote eating nutritious food in order to maintain a healthy and active life .
4. Demonstrate how to improve crop production and efficiency.
I don’t really use either Vine or Instagram, specifically haven’t ever used Vine. But I can see their importance and significance it can play for a company. I like ag companies can use these two tools just like any other company.
1. They can showcase photos or videos of a new item that they are releasing.
2. Posting a “behind-the-scenes” photo or video that would allow followers to feel like they gained insight into the business or company.
3. Encourage followers to post items to compete in a contest or drawing.
4. Highlight a star employee or volunteer with photos of what they are doing that make them great.
I think all social media sites are made for pretty much everyone to figure them out and use. Ag companies, just like other companies, will have to stay up-to-date with technologies and social media to stay current and relevant to all people.
Vine and Instagram can be used a variety of ways in agriculture.
One of my favorites is how Monsanto uses their Instagram page to showcase a “day in the life” of a farmer, starting with photos at the breakfast table, all the way to cleaning up at the end of the day.
I also have friends who post short vines of things like collecting eggs, bringing the cows in from pasture or even spraying fields with their crop duster plane.
• Contests – Agriculture companies or organizations can use Instagram to host contests with telling people to post a photo of something or repost a photo using a specific hashtag and tagging their Instagram handle in the post.
• Showcasing a Product – Posting photos or video of how a new product works or what the new product is is one way both Vine and Instagram can be used.
• Advocate – You can use both to advocate for agriculture simply by posting routine photos or videos of everyday farm and agriculture life. We might not think a day as a mechanic is interesting, but following him with Instagram or a Vine every once in while might interest people.
• Gathering Photos or Video for Content – With contests, you can then gather content you might use in publications or for a video by using a specific hashtag, I think of the farmer #felfie movement and how some of those photos were used in marketing campaigns after that.
Instagram and Vine can be used creatively, especially to reach a younger audience. I think if companies have some fun with it and think outside the box, that is when their time on those platforms will be most successful.
Vine and Instagram both seem like great avenues for ag organizations/companies to educate and inform consumers and the public about their products. Creativity is what people remember. I can still remember commercials from my childhood, such as the Burger King commercial, because they had a catchy jingle that was creative.
Unfortunately agriculture has been negatively labeled as corporate with factory farms. Instagram could be utilized with the filter that applies a nostalgic look (sepia or black and white for example). I think it would a great way to showcase farm families who have been working in production agriculture for 3+ generations.
I am not sure if the Got Milk campaign is still running, but it would be another way for them to share celebrities wearing the famous milk mustache. People also love to see cute animals and we have plenty of them in agriculture so this could be another outlet for agriculture groups to use to their benefit.
These two social media tools can both be beneficial from a market standpoint, and they can also aid in sharing important product information. From my research, it seems that Instagram could be very beneficial for my organization by providing cottonseed variety images from the field. The pictures that can reflect the quality of cotton fibers can prove very beneficial when influencing shareholders. In today’s dynamic market it is imperative that organizations stay competitive, and utilizing Instagram from an image standpoint can influence our consumers greatly. The Vine has its benefits as well, but personally I feel that Instagram would be my choice to spread information. It seems that the Vine is limited in spreading information via other social media means.
The impressions that can be inflicted upon shareholders can have a great amount of influence on their decisions. Of course, the most important aspect of our products is how they actually perform in the field. This is where the information really spreads, but images that show new cottonseed varieties and the high quality fiber have a great amount of influence on customer’s decisions to purchase our cottonseed. If you can couple direct results from the field along with images of magnificent new varieties you definitely create a recipe for successfully gaining market share.