Paulsen Marketing On the Road Blog

Five Cool Agriculture Instagrams

greg.guse@paulsenmarketing.com (Greg Guse) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 14:46:00 CDT

Guest blogging today is Katie Levitt, creative director.

Instagram is the great photography equalizer. Its forgiving filters allow even (ahem) the most clueless amateurs among us – myself included – to take an okay shot now and then. And it’s a wonderful way to appreciate and share the day-to-day beauty all around us. If you’re an Instagram fan like me, check out these awesome ag-stagrammers:

1. Instagram.com/agrowlife

2. Instagram.com/farming_northamerica

3. Instagram.com/farmpicsdaily

4. Instagram.com/godmadeafarmer

5. Instagram.com/luckycharmsandbeer

Twelve Hours of I-29 Inspiration

greg.guse@paulsenmarketing.com (Greg Guse) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 07:54:10 CDT

Guest blogging today is Bryan Bjerke, public relations director.

I had the privilege of judging the PR entries for the national Best of NAMA competition this past week. It meant a trip to Kansas City, which meant some drive time. I enjoyed the opportunity to put in six-hours-each-way of windshield time on the drive from Sioux Falls to Kansas City. That’s a lot of windshield time. And a lot of time to reflect on both wide-open spaces and the role agriculture is playing in the world these days.

On both the way down and the way back, I noticed how many semis were moving up and down I-29 hauling grain. It’s a reminder of how grain marketing has changed. Thanks to the huge increases in production, along with significant increases in storage capacity, grain marketing and transport is now, more than ever, a year-round proposition. And the impact the grain markets have on our economy has grown along with it, providing ongoing work and economic impact for both rural America and our overall economy.

Once I got off the Interstate and into Kansas City, I had a chance to marvel at the scope of agriculture through the work of public relations professionals and their work. Best of NAMA showcases the work of advertising and public relations, and this year’s public relations entries showed the increasing scope of agrimarketing, from traditional work involving annual reports and newsletters, to the latest digital advances. There were so many innovative and inspiring ways to tell important stories about farming, farmers, agribusiness and rural life, that it left me tired but inspired by the work and the subjects of that work.

I was honored to be one of the judges for all this work, but even more honored and inspired to be part of an industry that is amazing in its scope. From grain marketing to rural/urban food dialogues, from fertilizer to satellite imagery, many of the true renaissance people today are deeply involved in American agriculture. That insight alone was well worth twelve hours on I-29.

Small Towns Count on Ag Dollars

greg.guse@paulsenmarketing.com (Greg Guse) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 10:36:05 CDT

Just back from the Wheat Growers annual meeting in Huron, S.D. It was an excellent meeting with several outstanding speakers and some very impressive year-end results to share with the cooperative’s membership. Strong commodity prices, increased agronomy performance, and a better-than-expected harvest made 2012-2013 an excellent year for Wheat Growers.

Our agency was proud to be a part of the annual event by producing the annual report and video presentations that highlighted the year and thanked Wheat Growers patrons for their support during the busy planting and harvest seasons.

It had been awhile since I took the back roads of eastern South Dakota on my way to Huron. I have some observations from this 250-mile round trip from Sioux Falls to Huron that I’d like to share.

First, it’s great to see the new homes and large new machinery buildings that have been built in rural areas over the past few years. It’s a sign of a strong, healthy ag economy and it’s good to see positive signs of life, as opposed to the abandoned farmsteads we’ve become accustomed to in years past. I saw several examples of a new home built in addition to the existing farm home, which leads me to believe that a son or daughter has returned to the farm to establish new roots there--haven’t seen that for some time either.

Secondly, it was good to drive through a number of small towns along the way, many with populations of less than 500 people. It’s easy to see how dependent these small towns are on the agricultural economy and the farming community to keep them alive and viable.

In each of these towns, there’s a bank, a bakery and café, a church or two, a feed/seed dealer and elevator, in some cases an implement dealer or car dealer, a veterinary clinic and, of course, the local bar that becomes the town’s gathering place after high school basketball games. Every one of these establishments depends on farmers for their success and survival.

Recently, our agency created a television campaign for the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council titled, “This is Farming.” One of the spots features a feed and hardware dealer in Parker, S.D. The :60 spot is narrated by the business owner with his thoughts as to the importance of farming on his business and the impact of agriculture on his local community. (Click here to see the commercial that’s been running throughout the state for the past month or so.)

My recent trek through eastern South Dakota reaffirmed the fact that agriculture is indeed our state’s largest and most important industry contributing nearly $21.4 billion to our state’s economy and creating nearly 173,000 jobs.

I’m darn proud to be part of this industry and for the opportunity to help tell agriculture’s story through the clients who’ve placed their trust in our agency.

Spending a day in the country gives a person a whole new outlook. I highly recommend it.

Family Matters

greg.guse@paulsenmarketing.com (Greg Guse) — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 12:30:48 CDT

Guest blogging today is Clara Jacob, creative director.

I just returned home from spending some quality holiday time in Minneapolis with family from around the country.

And I found myself thinking about Andy Geppert.

Andy is featured in one of the TV spots Paulsen recently produced for South Dakota Corn Growers’ This is Farming campaign. In the spot, Andy says, “I still farm with my dad. He worked with his dad every day, I work with my dad every day and I think that’s a pretty rewarding experience.”

My family is the opposite of Andy’s. As a rule, when kids grow up, they move away. Last week I saw some family members I hadn’t seen in 10 years. Not distant family, but my own nieces.

As my oldest child has grown up and moved away, I’ve wondered about this. Why do so many of us, living in what is arguably the most advanced, peaceful and affluent time and place on earth, embrace this lifestyle?

In most cultures, in most time periods, in most parts of the world, families tend to stay together. Whether it’s to survive economically, preserve a way of life or simply enjoy one another’s company, living close to family offers huge benefits.

When I interviewed Andy Geppert for the TV spot, I felt jealous that he has the opportunity to work each day with his dad. My father had his own business, but there was no invitation or suggestion that I join him, ever.

I was also jealous that Andy can spend so much time with his children. His “office” is right there at home. He told me how much he cherishes being able to take a break and visit with his children, and eat dinner at home with his family. Every day.

What’s more, his children can see their grandparents any time they want. They’re just 100 yards down the road. As opposed to 1,400 miles and 10 years away.

And while Andy is the only one of his siblings who stayed on the farm, his other family members have a place to call home. I can only imagine how wonderful that must feel.

The 10 Most Inspiring Vimeo Videos I Could Find in One Hour

greg.guse@paulsenmarketing.com (Greg Guse) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 11:15:28 CDT

Guest blogging today is Katie Levitt, creative director.

Busy? Stressed? Overwhelmed? Countless studies say yes, we are (shocker). And countless more articles assure us how much happier, productive and creative we could be if we would just hit the brakes once in a while (easier said than done). Recently I carved out one blissful hour searching for the word “inspiration” on Vimeo. Here’s the best of what I found. Hope you enjoy: