Whether the product is an item of clothing or food, brand identity plays a major role in consumers’ comfort and willingness to invest in products. Foster Farms has recently faced the fickle nature of consumers confidence after a strain of Salmonella Heidelberg was traced to three nearby Foster Farms chicken plants.
The company has made advertising efforts to reclaim their name to the public by running a limited amount of ads, including two in newspapers and one on the radio, from Seattle to San Diego that specifically address Foster Farms food safety efforts.
“For nearly 75 years Foster Farms has worked hard to earn your trust, and we know that the recent Salmonella illnesses associated with Foster Farms has shaken that trust,” the company publicly stated in a newspaper ad as they assured customers that they have strengthened food-safety practices from the ranch to the processing plant. According to Ira Brill, Director of Advertising and Marketing Services in Livingston, the company does not typically advertise during this time of year with their main campaigns occurring during March, April and early September.
“This isn’t typical for us but we ran these ads to reassure consumers that Foster Farms took the issue seriously and implemented a program to produce the safest chicken out there,” said Brill.
The company is also receiving an unsolicited local advertising boost from the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds who have displayed a “We heart Foster Farms” advertisement on their billboard at the intersection of Golden State Boulevard and Fulkerth Road. According to Chris Boravansky, CEO of the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, the fair decided to publicly back Foster Farms because of the company’s long term support to the fair’s Junior Livestock Auctions and youth education programs.
“They’ve stood by us in times of our own travails and we’re standing by them now. They are very philanthropic and I think people generally understand that their trying to rectify the situation and we just want to publicly show our support,” said Boravansky.
The public can also access Foster Farms’ recently launched website that specifically addresses consumer concerns with the company’s Comprehensive Food Safety Program at fosterfarmsfoodsafety.com.
