Sustainability is here to stay
In 2015 some of New Zealand’s horticultural crop groups realised they had a problem. Many of the crop protection products they depended on were being phased out and new products were not readily available. This was making the production of high quality fruit and vegetables more challenging. At the same time there was growing awareness that consumers are increasingly asking for food that is as free from chemical residues as possible, is grown sustainably, and is ethically produced. They are willing to pay a premium for this.
To take advantage of this opportunity, a step-change in the industry’s approach to crop production needed to occur. A Lighter Touch was established to collaborate across the horticulture, arable and wine sectors to meet changing consumer preferences and to solve the problem of access to crop protection products by changing the approach to crop protection.
A Lighter Touch approached Tracta with a clear strategic mandate to engage with the 16 stakeholder groups through telling a concise story, providing updates so viewers could easily see the progress being made with the projects, with a strong focus on outcomes.
The category norm
Due to the polarising nature of the crop protection industry, most companies within this sector position themselves in a way that won’t get a lawsuit… so the opportunity for A Lighter Touch was to inspire and engage its multitude of stakeholders by confidently telling this world-first story – from explaining its purpose by aiming to create a healthier environment, improve soil quality, and reduce the negative impacts of agriculture on ecosystems.
The standout idea
‘A Lighter Touch: Agroecological crop protection to meet future consumer demands’ needed an online presence that was not the norm, so heroing it as crop protection is changing for the better instantly changed the tone of the conversations.
Outstanding execution
Four principles guided our website design and content: accommodate the different needs of the multiple stakeholders; be vibrant and energetic; be real and transparent; and demonstrate a real outcome-focused mindset.
Within these parameters we went about creating a user-centric website experience that put a healthier environment and sustainability at the heart of every journey, moving beyond transactional information about what A Lighter Touch does, and towards the purpose-driven reasons it exists.