Agriculture Advertising Agriculture Advertising

Welcome to this episode of Agriculture Advertising Podcast where we sit down with Sarah Kutz, the Senior Manager of Digital Marketing of Paid Media at Filament, a dynamic team of passionate individuals in the agriculture realm. Visit: https://www.filamentag.com/

Episode Summary:

1. Team Dynamics: 
*We explore the diverse personalities at Filament, from ag-enthusiasts to storytellers. Sarah shares which role resonates with her and why, giving listeners a glimpse into the team’s collective passion.



2. Filament’s Journey and Sarah’s Marketing Love Story:
*Sarah narrates Filament’s story, highlighting their diverse AG
portfolio and key client results. She opens up about her personal
journey into marketing, the driving forces behind Filament’s success, and what makes her a marketing guru.



3. PR vs. Advertising in Agriculture Marketing:
*Sarah dissects the distinctions between PR and advertising, exploring how paid storytelling fits into a comprehensive media plan, providing insights into effective strategies.



4. Tailoring Tactics for Different Species:
*We explore the nuanced tactics in agriculture marketing specific to different species. Sarah shares examples of how approaches vary and the importance of customization for success.



5. Effective Practices and Areas for Refinement:
*Sarah identifies two practices in agriculture marketing that are
working effectively and two areas that may require refinement based on her experiences with clients.



6. Ag-Tech Trends Impacting Marketing:
*Sarah anticipates and discusses upcoming Ag-Tech trends that will influence the evolution of agriculture marketing strategies.

7. Efficiency in Ag Marketing: 
*Sarah provides valuable insights into maximizing marketing plans and opportunities in the agriculture space, sharing practical tips for efficiency and impact.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Sarah Kutz as we unravel the dynamics of agriculture marketing and the evolving landscape in the digital era.




Email: skutz@filamentag.com



Give Sarah a spreadsheet and she can conquer any task. Variety is the spice of life, and that holds true for Sarah. From coordinating with vendors, designers and industry contacts to copyediting and budgets, Sarah does
it all. She’s also an avid learner and won’t shy away from research.


Sarah’s agriculture heritage runs deep. Her family has been farming the same land for more than 150 years. Sarah knows agriculture touches almost everything. Growing up on her family’s dairy farm, Sarah’s dad would challenge her to name random objects, and he would always find a way to connect them to agriculture.

To say Sarah’s a Badger fan is an understatement. As a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Sarah cheers on the football and basketball teams at almost every game. Varsity and Jump Around are her go-to jams.

https://www.filamentag.com/

Our conversation with Leigh Ann delves into her entrepreneurial journey, tracing her evolution from a rising star to an established figure in her field. We explore what distinguishes Leigh Ann as an exceptional and standout marketer and how she harnesses the strengths of her team to achieve success. Additionally, we delve into the current landscape of media trends, emphasizing storytelling and education, as well as the growing influence of marketing compared to traditional advertising.

In our discussion, we scrutinize a standout marketing plan that has been successfully executed and whether it aligns with winning prestigious awards. We also emphasize the significance of cultivating strong relationships, diligent work ethic, and staying attuned to emerging innovations in the industry.

Furthermore, we indulge in some enjoyable segments, exploring Leigh Ann's passion for sports. Finally, we compile a list of several agricultural marketing terms and invite Leigh Ann to provide brief insights on how these terms correlate with her journey to success in the field of marketing.
About our guest
Leigh Ann Cleaver has over 28 years of work experience in various roles and companies. Leigh Ann is currently serving as the Executive
Vice President, Client Experience and Partner at Mod Op since July 2020. Before that, Leigh Ann founded and served as the Chief Executive
Officer of Sage (formerly BCS Communications), which was acquired by Mod Op in 2020. Leigh Ann established Sage in 2003 and provided strategic
communications, public relations, advertising, and event planning services to local, national, and international clients, including Fortune 500 companies.

Prior to Sage, Leigh Ann worked as a Team Leader at Valentine Radford Advertising, specializing in Bayer Crop Protection. Leigh Ann also served as a Brand Manager at Sprint, a Sr. Account Supervisor at Osborn & Barr Communications working on the John Deere account, and an Account Supervisor at Valentine Radford Advertising, again focusing on Bayer Crop Protection. Before their time at Valentine Radford Advertising, Leigh Ann worked as an Account Executive at Swanson Russell Associates, where they handled clients in the animal health, agriculture, and healthcare industries. Leigh Ann began their career as an Advertising Sales Account Executive at Telecom USA.

Leigh Ann Cleaver has a bachelor's degree in Journalism with a focus on Advertising from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Leigh Ann also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Baker University, specializing in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services. Additionally, they have pursued coursework for a Master of Arts in Communications at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Prior to these higher education experiences, they attended Cottey College and Platteview Senior High School, although the specific degrees or fields of study obtained from these institutions are not provided.
Visit the Modop Group Website: https://www.modop.com/ At Mod Op, everything we do starts with understanding our clients’ marketing opportunities. Then, we identify the unique methods to help them achieve those goals. That may mean launching a complete, integrated advertising and PR campaign or tapping into some of our more specialized expertise for a given project.We are thoughtful. We are purposeful. And yes, we’re creative, too. We’re Mod Op. And that’s our M.O.

Storytelling is a process used by Agri-marketers to communicate a message to their audience, via the combination of fact and narrative. We explore how vital this is to control your message as your story constantly evolves and you need your target audience to hear all aspects of it.



Four pillars we examine about why brands tell stories:



1. Stories are easy to remember

2. Stories simplify complex concepts

3. Stories united your audience

4. Stories inspire action



Visit www.agricultureadvertising.com or www.agucation.com

How you can create or use your Corporate Culture to tie in to effective Agri-Marketing strategies? Do you have a corporate culture and can you tie your strategy and Agucation (http://www.agucation.com) to showcase your culture more effectively? We review important characteristics of culture such as: Vision, Values, Practices, People, Narrative and Place, Teamwork, Innovation, and Leadership. We also review the types of Corporate Culture: Clan Culture, Adhocracy Culture, Market Culture, and Hierarchy Culture. Use your culture to guide your path to continued effective communication tactics.

A simplistic review of Effective communication and key strategies that make a big difference in a marketing plan.

-Leveraging a variety of forums -Consistency, keep sending the message -Strategy, make this strategy a focal point of core value-Determine a niche target or broad target-Adaptability: Adapt to how people are receiving information-Focus on the overall process then short-term stats-Build relationships and define a real story to engage people more -Agucation- Lifelong learning is key. Always educate people on your product and service and why your different http://www.agucation.com

Episode Summary:
Shannon discusses her career journey and the incredible story and longevity at Lessing-Flynn. Along with what Agri-Marketing means to her, trends she is seeing in the industry, what is working and not working, along with something we need to try but may be afraid of. Shannon discusses why she chose Ag Marketing and what makes Ag different from other industries along with her person marketing style and what makes Lessing-Flynn different. We discuss about overreacting and under-reacting to success or failure in marketing; Shannon wraps on a stand out idea or plan she has executed.



About our guest

Over the past decade, Shannon has built a rock-solid foundation in ag and construction marketing. When she joined Lessing-Flynn eight years ago, she developed their media department from the ground up. Now, as the director of digital media and strategy, she grows and supports the agency’s media, digital and social efforts. Shannon and her digital and media communications team optimize clients’ investment values by converting their traditional media plans into highly targeted digital strategies across all platforms — and with outstanding measurable results. The team is also responsible for all digital offerings, social content and channel growth strategies.

Shannon holds marketing and advertising degrees from Iowa State University from the College of Business and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, respectively.



Visit the Lessing-Flynn Website: https://www.lessingflynn.com/



Founded in 1907, Lessing-Flynn is the longest-standing independently owned advertising agency in America (according to our research) and a Top Workplace in Iowa four years running (according to The Des Moines Register). Our agency helps clients solve complex brand and marketing challenges, producing award-winning work across a variety of industries, including agriculture, animal health and nutrition, construction, financial, healthcare, higher education, manufacturing and technology.