Welsh angle on new advertising campaign “Why I Love Organic”

The organic industry in the UK has launched a 3-year campaign that is set to deliver sales growth by increasing consumer demand for organic food. Launching in January 2011 under the banner ‘There are lots of reasons to love organic – discover yours’, the campaign consists of press advertising, PR and digital marketing. Match funded by the EU, the aim of the £ 2 million ‘Why I Love Organic’ campaign is to invite consumers to discover what organic means by challenging their perceptions and discovering their own reason for loving it.  Organic Centre Wales will be supporting the campaign. It will ensure bilingual press coverage of the campaign in Wales, and use its messages to support generic promotion work under its Better Organic Business Links project.
(Picture: An example of an ad - organic consumers explaining their purchase decision)

The Organic Trade Board (OTB) is a trade body run by industry for industry, a not-for-profit organisation made up of over 120 companies who want to share the benefits of organic and change the perception of the organic industry in the UK. The board has collectively pledged
£ 300,000 per year, which the EU has agreed to match. The charity Sustain submitted the bid to the EU on behalf of the organic industry and manages it, working with the advertising agency Haygarth. The campaign is running from October 2010–2013. 

Consumers are to discover exactly what organic means and why it’s worth it, with the ultimate aim of driving sales. Top Ten reasons for buying organic products, according to the Soil Association Market Report / onepoll.com are: Naturalness / unprocessed (40 %), restricted use of pesticides (34 %), better taste (30 %), better for the well-being (28 %), better for the planet (25 %), kind to animals (22 %), GM free (18 %), encourages wildlife (16 %). helping climate change (12 %). (Picture: Nant Gwyn Faen Organic Farm Shop)
 

Press ads will run across a number of national magazines over a nine month period (in each of the three years of the programme).  The ad creative will challenge perceptions by featuring everyday individuals who would not normally be associated with buying organic, each giving their reason for why they love organic, highlighting the benefits of organic food. The PR activity will help to raise awareness and focus on seasonal news stories, real life case studies, competitions, celebrity endorsement and tasty organic recipe ideas.

A new website (www.whyiloveorganic.co.uk) has also been created that will showcase the benefits of organic food, feature up to date news and recipe suggestions. The site also provides a forum for consumers to express and share views and reasons for loving organic, and will complement the Facebook and Twitter pages which are also being created to support the campaign. 
 

Organic Centre Wales will also be supporting the campaign. It will ensure bilingual press coverage in Wales, and use its messages to support generic promotion work under its Better Organic Business Links project. Sue Fowler, Director of Organic Centre Wales OCW, says: “We know that people want to eat natural and great tasting food which matches their perception of organic. This campaign will raise the profile of organic food and give consumers the chance to find out for themselves what organic actually means.” More than 90 organizations have pledged their own money to the campaign, including Welsh organic companies Calon Wen, Daioni, Graig Farm Organics, Rachel’s, Rhug Estate, Slade Farm and the Welsh Black Cattle Society, and multiple retailers including Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. Better Organic Business Links has carried out case studies of organic businesses in Wales, and organised a course.
 

The following individuals have attended the training course on working with the media in Wales: Mr David Cooknell, Marketing Manager at Farmhouse Freedom Eggs. The business was founded by Gerry and Linda Tuffs who started free-range egg production at Great House Farm in 1985. In 1999, they acquired the Martin Pitt free-range egg business based in Marlborough, Wiltshire and expanded the sales of eggs throughout London and the M4 corridor. Farmhouse Freedom Eggs is still based at Great House Farm and boasts a modern packing station with state of the art grading and packing machines. Mayonnaise production has increased in volume and a new modern production facility was added to handle this growth. In 2000 the company launched its organic egg production under the Organic Food Federation accreditation – Great House Farm became an organic farm at this time and egg sales steadily grew in volume.
 

 Mrs Rhiannon Rowley, Managing Director at Abaca Ltd. After 15 years of working in the mattress industry, Rhiannon Rowley's (picture to the left) concern about the chemicals in the fabrics and materials used to create mattresses, led to the development of Abaca Organic. There was already a clear need for natural bedding for people with a range of conditions. More than just a natural alternative, Rhiannon wanted to create a luxurious organic bedding range. The company produces organic mattresses using organic Welsh wool and organic fabrics. Each organic mattress is carefully hand stitched and finished.
 

Mr Gareth Jones, Rhug Farm. Rhug farm (see picture below) started its organic conversion in 1998 and is now fully certified by the Soil Association.  Rhug has its own nationally award winning flock of 4000 ewes and 500 head of cattle including the special herd of Aberdeen Angus. Rhug is one of the largest organic farms in Wales, covering 1050 hectares including 90 hectares of broadleaved woodland plus 551 hectares of mountain land. The mountain is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and subject to a five-year environmental management plan with the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW). The lowland is managed under the Tir Gofal (Care of the land) scheme on a ten-year management agreement. Organic farming at Rhug has resulted in wildlife across the farm flourishing. 
 

Ms Elen Morris, Calon Wen. Calon Wen is a Co-op owned by over 20 farming families from across Wales and will soon be celebrating its 10th year. The company aims to secure a long term market for organic milk from Wales by supporting organic processing needs in Wales and also supplies companies like Rachel’s Organic Dairy in Aberystwyth and Caws Cenarth in Carmarthenshire. They also work alongside processors in Wales producing their own branded products. Calon Wen is the first dairy in the UK to achieve the Soil Association Ethical Trade Symbol.
 

Mrs Amanda Edwards (picture), specialist in local and organic food, from Nant Gwyn Faen Organic Farm. Nant Gwyn Faen, certified organic by the Soil Association, keeps poultry and pigs, Welsh black cattle and sheep. The company also runs a bed and breakfast, an organic farm shop, makes furniture, and also grows their own vegetables. The farm is located centrally between Carmarthen, Aberystwyth and Cardigan and provides an ideal base from which to explore the local area. In the farm shop, local and organic produce is sold. Their own bacon from  rare breed pigs is dry cured  and a variety of speciality pork sausages made by the company is offered.

They also sell home produced organic free-range eggs,and organic fruit and vegetables. Non-homogenized organic milk from Calon Wen is stocked, as well as Welsh butter and yoghurt and Caws Cenarth award winning local cheeses. All organic essentials, like rice, pasta, cereals, flours, tinned food, jams and chocolate plus a range of Welsh delectables including Tregroes waffles, Welsh honey, jams, Aeron Jersey ice cream, cockles, laverbread and leeks are sold, and welcome hampers for holiday cottages and visitors to the area are also offered.