Did you happen to notice in some of the Sunday papers today an advertisement for Danepak the bacon company? The company has had problems in the UK recently culminating in the laying off of staff at the Thetford packing station in Norfolk. Clearly they are trying to build up their business again and the ad campaign must be one of the measures being taken.
I don't know who dreams up their advertising themes but this one is brilliant. Whoever it was decided to cash in on the renewed interest in the UK in local foods and traceability. A bit difficult, you might think for products originating abroad. Well, yes, but they have overcome that obvious problem by emphasising the family farm angle.
It is ridiculously simple really. They simply took a photograph of a typical (if rather large) extended farming family - they look genuine anyway whether they are or not - and labelled each with their role in the business as if they were part of a major company.
An oldish man in his 60's is labelled as Chairman; his wife as Financial Director; his eldest son, CEO; the second son, Managing Director and so on. Every family member, the ad claims has a role in the business right down to a teenage boy who is Head of IT and a couple of younger children who are trainees.
The caption said "The Johansen family take the running of their pig farm as seriously as if it were a global corporation. It takes huge commitment to produce great bacon, so every member of the family has a job to do, from Grandpa who still drives the combine harvester to 7 year old Ana who helps feed (and cuddle) the piglets." That's all really, apart from the brand name.
Anyone who knows the structure of Danish agriculture will realise that the bacon industry is centralised through a handful of huge co-operative factories. Not the right image to appeal to consumers. But the family farm does and I just wish someone in the UK food industry had thought of such an approach first. Meanwhile, however much it hurts, I am full of admiration for Danepak's marketing people.