Strategic Planning using Business Anthropology
"Do you know what is your diet’s carbon footprint? What about the miles your food travels to reach your plate?" I read these questions on an Instagram post. To be honest, I had never thought about it. I was not mindful of the social and environmental impact that our food has.
results that could be obtained by mixing the wisdom of the farmer with the technology and processes of these areas. Opportunities for innovation would be envisioned in matters such as agricultural technology, or plastic-free package design, among others.
Until then, I had only focused on the simple act of eating, without reflecting on the entire process that a product goes through before reaching my hands. In fact, the social, economic, and sanitary crisis unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic made me aware of how important this process is, and that there is a strategic role that companies in the food industry can adopt.
Why Should the Business Focus on People's Identities?
To dive into this topic, I decided to analyze a business case from an agroecological food company. The name of the company is Campesino Millennial [Millennial Farmer]; I discovered it on Instagram. Its branding strategy showcases the food production process end-to-end. For example, it shows how to produce honey and obtain fresh milk step by step, alongside other farming activities. Additionally, it uses a man in its visual communication, symbolizing the relationship between humans and nature: he is always depicted showing respect and taking good care of the animals.
Strategic Planning Meets Context Why is the branding strategy of this account so valuable? Because the new consumer has been questioning the dynamics of food production and its environmental impact for a while, and Campesino Millennial knows it. The renewed reflections and discussions derived from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are a clear sign of this. In particular, those demanding society to adopt healthier behaviors, and those that call out on the environmental detriment induced by the constant use of disposable personal protection items (such as face masks and gloves). Hence, the strategic planning for the food industry could focus on developing alliances between rural communities and research and product development areas within organizations. Doing so would allow us to return to our origins –the land, and come up with innovative ideas based on benefiting the environment. For instance, imagine the conversation and the
The type of interaction that @campesino_millennial establishes with its consumers, as well as its business model, reveals the construction of a lifestyle that this organization seeks to sell to its customers. By using the "human meets nature" archetype, the company resonates with audiences who find value in this message. Why? Because food is an indicator of our belonging and our individuality; In fact, eating is a political act that reaffirms identities. In line with the above, companies can start by mapping who the new customers are and what they will be like in the future. Vegetarian activists, millennial farmers, and nostalgic consumers, among others, are examples of them. When doing so, organizations should remember that each of these archetypes navigates in human environments that cannot be reduced to labels. However, tools like this could help companies develop informed strategies, as long as they count on anthropologists, sociologists, and other social scientists working alongside the research and design process.
People and the Company Learning Hand-in-Hand Companies can also start awareness campaigns regarding consumption practices.CampesinoMillennial, the organization that I have taken as my starting point, uses videos, pictures, and text in their posts to teach people how to develop a deeper relationship with nature and the product. But one should be very cautious when analyzing these posts. Although they seem like simple tutorials, they have a more profound meaning. With phrases such as "MILKING implies getting up at dawn, PUTTING ON boots that feel damp from the cold..." (Campesino Millennial, 2020), the company seeks to validate ancestral behaviors to sell them to the new customer. It tries, for instance, to help the customer understand that they must put a little bit of effort to get a hold of the food they usually take for granted. | 19