Opinion: We're Not In Kansas Anymore

By Frank Giles|November 22, 2010

Who can forget the famous refrain from Dorothy in “Wizard Of Oz? “Lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my!” Now, take a moment to consider how much the world has changed since the movie was released in 1939?

An explosion of technology since those days has created a new frontier, a Wild West some might say, in which consumers have more control than ever. Today, it might be more appropriate to say “iPads, Facebook, and YouTube. Oh my!”
That was the message from Phil Lempert “The Supermarket Guru” during this year’s Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in Orlando. He noted today’s consumers have more control than ever, and like it not, growers must be willing and able to produce what those consumers demand.

YouTube Effect

So, you don’t believe consumers have control? Lempert provided an example of how social networking is creating a new information paradigm. The story is of Bill Carroll’s year-long struggle with United Airlines after baggage handlers carelessly broke his guitar. He got run-around after run-around trying to get compensation for his guitar. United thought they had control, but that changed when Carroll posted a little song on YouTube called “United Breaks Guitars.” To date, the song has nearly 9.5 million views on YouTube, and Carroll has done more than 350 media interviews about his song and his ordeal with United. More than 100 million people are aware of this story just because of a four-minute clip on YouTube. Just imagine the bad PR United could have avoided by simply compensating Carroll the $400 for his broken guitar. The fact is this could happen to any business, so it means the attention to producing a product that meets and exceeds customer expectations is more important than ever. It is a challenge, and sometimes not even fair, but it is the world in which we live. But, on the flip side, a consumer might fall in love with a brand of Florida OJ or have the best recipe for strawberry shortcake and feel compelled to post something on YouTube. Social networks must be viewed as an opportunity for good PR as well, but you have to work at it. Consider setting up pages for your farm. Several in Florida already have.

The Elephant’s Rear End

Lempert noted that trends are like elephants because they become so big. The problem is by the time most businesses recognize a trend is a trend, it has already passed on by. So how do you get in front of a trend? Talk to your customers to find out why they are buying what they buy and what they’d like to buy but can’t find in stores and markets. You might just find a niche that lets you ride that elephant and enjoy great success. Just recall low-carb Florida potatoes and the Atkins Diet.