From tractors to TikTok – Webinars explore building farm brands

The workshops, led by Kerry Allison, Senior Brand and Marketing Consultant at SAC Consulting – part of Scotland’s Rural College, will look at how branding can help connect farms to their communities and customers, and explain the nuts and bolts of designing a brand.

Kerry said: “People make hundreds of decisions every day about what to eat, what to wear, where to go, where to shop, where to entertain their kids, who to follow on social media, how to reduce their carbon footprint – the list is endless.

“Rural industries are a vitally important part of that decision-making process for many, and it should be for all. Whether you have a business selling produce, products, or services; are considering starting a social media account to help educate children about agriculture; or if you want people to shop local or support their local community; a brand will help you to do that.

“The driving force in the majority of our decisions comes down to emotion. We want to feel like our decisions are the right ones. Building a brand is about building a personality, building a vibe, a set of principles or beliefs that someone can align themselves with. This is the opportunity to get a following of brand advocates who feel successful when you are successful.

“With Brexit and then Covid-19, no-one knows what’s around the corner, but we do have the opportunity to tell people what is important to us and to invite them to become part of our community, and to ensure their brand loyalty to us. This may mean repeat business, word-of-mouth recommendations, and brand loyalty, effectively ensuring success.”

The first webinar, Brand Building – Where Do I Start?, on 21st July, will look at why farmers should build a brand and the benefits and costs of doing so.

The second webinar, Brand Building – What Comes Next?, on 23rd July, will explore the use of visual assets, favicons, e-commerce and social media to build and share a brand.

Both webinars will run from 8pm to 9.15pm, with 45 minutes covering the topics and 30 minutes for questions and answers.

For more information, or to book the webinars, visit: www.fas.scot/events