The case for better farm company swag
Glacier FarmMedia – I have always loved older things: going through stores specializing in the vintage and antique, listening to the mid-20th century music of the Sunday sock hop and learning history factoids. As I write this, I sit with Star Weekly magazines from 1963 on my kitchen table waiting for a place to be displayed in my home.
My interest was therefore immediately piqued when, after pulling out my grandpa’s tackle box that sat collecting dust for 20 years or so, my cousin lifted out a set of lures from Pioneer.
The consumer gift, still in its packaging, was coloured in the company’s trademark orange and yellow (not a bad option for fishing lures) and stamped with the tagline, “Thanks for hooking up with us.”
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The quirky, chuckle-worthy piece of farm company swag prompted a conversation about merchandise, the kind of merch customers get from companies they purchase from and a joke about the hat being worth thousands of dollars, but the tractor, sprayer or combine being free.
It wasn’t the first time my family has had that kind of discussion, especially after cleaning out my grandma’s house and uncovering the various objects stamped with one company name or another, obviously promotional or given for customer loyalty.
At several points, the conversation veered into regret.
Unlike the fishing lures — clever capitalization of an eye-catching colour scheme and a pun to go along with it — it was felt that companies today just don’t give out stuff that is that interesting or unique anymore.
There’s no doubt that farmers love their hats and pens, and I’m not saying to stop giving those away, but maybe it’s also time for companies to reintroduce some creativity into their merch.
There are chances to play into the brand, the slogan, the commodity or the customer base.
The Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association, for example, set itself apart at this year’s Ag in Motion farm show with a shovel-shaped bottle opener. And it did stick out, not just because it wasn’t a pen, sticker or keychain but because of how appropriate it was: shovel for an organization that was all about soil.
There was a grain elevator shaped whiskey decanter from Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, for example, that sat on my grandma’s cabinet for 30 years, alongside propane-tank shaped salt and pepper shakers from Federated Co-op.
Maybe it’s time to shake things up a little.
And for anyone out there who has their own historical ag merch collections, I’d love to see them. I can be reached at jrudolph@farmmedia.com.
Source: producer.com