MISSOURI FARM TO SCHOOLInitiative UpdateApril 2011

Background Research

1. Key informant interviews• Food service directors• Vendors• Farmers• Parents and other stakeholders

2. Survey of food service directors (N=421)3. Literature reviews

Audience Background & Segmentation

PrimarySchool food service directors

Approximately 750 in the state that participate in Nat. School Lunch Program

SecondaryFood vendorsSmall-scale family farmersSchool employeesParents of 1st-7th gradersHospitals and other large institutions

Objectives for the campaign

Creative Objective• Engage them as being critical to the health and economy. (Know)• Reinforce self-efficacy--there is something I can do about this problem.

(Believe)• Motivate them to take professional responsibility and ask for locally

grown and buy locally grown at least once. (Do)Tone

• Respectful• Empowering• Affirming (positive recognition of expertise)• Positive• Professional expertise that reflects on passion/identity

PositioningUsing locally grown foods help student health and strengthen local community

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Barrier Message

Status Quo Try it once; Try a little local. See what other FSDs are making it work.Ask for locally grown once this year.

Cost Affordable and sometimes more inexpensive option.There are other options, too: •Giving students more whole foods options made from fresh foods (vs. prepackaged);•Introducing a new vegetable or fruit to the students each month and involving them in the decision making process;•5-2-1-0 options.

Bid process Find out what your local district threshold level is. 25K for state level.

Demand Try it once and get to know a local farmer or vendor who can supply local. Talk them early for next year.Manage the demand/availability concerns with a salad bar or snack options.

Time Little to no additional more time; typically involves some additional planning

Storage & prep

Locally grown takes the same amount of time to prep and store.

Communication StrategiesMessaging to target audience

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public Relations Strategies

1.Strategy and execution• PR strategies with program partners

2.Tailored press intervention• Localized issue with data, quotes and original graphic• Disseminated statewide

3.Other outreach• Editorial calendar• Event-based PR

St. James PressSt. James, MO

4-14-2011

Southeast Missouri

4-22-2011

Commodity Newsletter for MO FSDs

ADVERTISING

Traditional Advertising

Media buys• :30 spots on radio• Rural network

• Newspapers• Paid• Earned

Soft sell advertising

• Work with DESE & partners to promote internal ad campaign• FSDs who are role

models/unsung champions• Self-efficacy• Falls in line with target

audience and being in Missouri

DRAFT

MARKETING PRODUCTS

Marketing Products

1. Resource guide2. Sticker campaign3. Summer outreach and training4. Pipeline campaign (w/ Award in Nov. @ SNA Awards Ceremony)

5. Direct mail to FSDs6. Branded materials (includes brochures, e-newsletters, web site,

etc.)

MO

FTSMarketing Channels

1. List Serv2. Facebook3. National FTS (web, Twitter and YouTube)4. MoFTS Web site5. Partnering organizations6. E-newsletter7. Earned and paid media8. Distributors/vendors9. Farmers and orchards10. Food service directors

Brochure

Cover Inside panels

Message block

Fact Sheet

Headline and Top Ten Reasons can be tailored to County-level or School District

Talking Points

Online advocacy tools

E-newsletter

E-template

Web site v2.0 Beta – v1.0 live

DRAFT

TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS

Efforts to DateJanuary 2011 •Started statewide media campaign launch and local publicity•Creative development•Creation and implementation of list serv•Creation of Facebook page

February 2011 •MoFarmtoSchool.Missouri.Edu launched

March 2011 •Creative testing•Statewide tailored local press release roll-out•E-newsletter roll-out•Online advocacy tool roll-out

April 2011•Branding rollout

Next Steps

Summer FSD Trainings through DESE (June-Aug 2011)

• Testimonials, how-to’s, focus on easier options like salad bars and one-time purchases

Back to school push (Fall 2011)• Continue mar/com efforts• Award/competition• Local/regional media buys

Evaluation

1. Clipping service (some pre, during, and post)a. Content analysis

2. Google analytics3. General reach, frequency metrics from mass

media4. Web and Social media monitoring

Missouri Farm to School

For more information: MoFarmtoSchool.Missouri.Edu

Missouri Farm to School

Thank you!

MU Health Communication Research CenterJon Stemmle, MAAssociate Directorstemmlej@missouri.edu

Amy Dunaway, MPH MASr. Information Specialistdunawaya@missouri.edu