The right tools

Many businesses feel comfortable that they have their marketing in hand. They know their market, their customers, their audience and they’ve been communicating to them for years, so they don’t need any more help, thank you very much. But times are changing.

The agribusiness sector is facing unprecedented challenges on multiple fronts; sustainability, supply chain collaboration, the need to pursue regenerative agricultural practices and the more recent pledge from COP28 to include agriculture in climate change equations to name but a few. And this is why having a team, a strategy and marketing plan in place is a good start, but is not a reason to sit on your laurels. Things are changing, and adaptation to keep up, rather than falling behind and then trying to catch up is key.

I’d liken having an existing plan and being confident that it will work for changing circumstances, to me having a set of golf clubs in the garage. I know how to use them, and what each club does, but not having been on a course for a couple of years I’d struggle to achieve my objective of a good score. Having the right tools and the right people in place to be able to deal with a changing marketing landscape is key, and I’m going to draw a really strange parallel for having the right people in place. Bear with me. 

In the early 1970s, an artist by the name of Ralph McQuarrie was approached by a young filmmaker who had a concept for a film unlike anything ever made before. In fact, the concept was so ‘out there’ that Ralph didn’t think the film would ever get the green light, so he didn’t feel bound by what was conventionally possible. He therefore created a set of concept art that was so different, so extraordinary, that it perfectly captured the filmmaker’s vision and (when the film did get picked up) and the set designers were struggling, the filmmaker could point at the concept art and say “Do it like this”.

The filmmaker literally had the right tools and the right people to ensure his audience got what he envisaged, and (ultimately) what they wanted. There’s a link to the artwork further down to illustrate quite how accurate the vision was, and what an impact it had on the finished spectacle, and I think this shows perfectly why having the right team on hand can ensure your dreams (your business objectives) are realised as you would like.

Oh, the filmmaker’s name was George Lucas, and the film was Star Wars. Like a visionary business leader, George ignored the status quo which wouldn’t have commissioned concept art at such an early stage because he knew it was vital to gain enough traction to achieve his objective. He could have touted the script without the art and hoped for success – maybe he would have got it anyway, maybe not. But because he got the artwork created without boundaries, it gave a blueprint for the films and subsequently, the success – the films were essentially designed by Ralph – how they looked, the effects – without Ralph they could have looked (and performed) very differently.

At RDP, we don’t feel constrained by what’s been done before and as a result, our work is similarly transformational. We understand your business and your sector like no other. So why would you choose to work with another agency in these challenging and transformative times?

As promised here is the link to Ralph McQuarrie’s concept art. As you can see, it’s not only amazing, but almost identical to the films. George’s direction, Ralph’s art; perfect companions. Just like RDP and marketing in the agribusiness sector.

Still think you’ve got the tools you need to navigate an ever-changing marketing landscape?

Get in touch. Let us help realise your business objectives.