There’s a new marketing firm in town – one that specializes in an industry full of “boundless opportunities.”
Founded in January, Feed Us Media works with local farmers and food producers to meet the growing demand of our region’s consumers. The company helps food businesses address a range of issues including marketing, social media, web design and product promotion.
The firm is comprised of Shawn Morrill, Celeste Fleming and Eileen Cowen – three friends who share a love for all things local, especially when it comes to food.
“The term ‘local’ has many connotations. Geographically speaking, it is a specific mile radius from one’s location. However, we view ‘local’ as a go-to-market strategy that small producers utilize to increase product visibility,” said Cowen, who previously served as director of the Urban Grower’s Market in Vancouver. “Every community has local producers that need help moving into new or expanding markets.”
Farm-to-fork marketing
Cowen said that local growers often struggle to develop their business due to the gap between producer and consumer. Feed Us Media aims to fill that divide with “farm-to-fork marketing” and working closely with clients to understand which links in the farm-to-fork chain are most needed.
“We engage with a network of experts, including farmers markets, farmer friends, the Clark County Food System Council, and Washington State University Extension,” said Cowen. “We work with farms and producers to help them promote their products through various channels. We work with consumers to identify what they want to buy, and what is important to them. We also work with distributors and marketers to build relationships that create the essential links to bring a product to viability.”
Adding value
In addition to working with local farmers, a major focus at Feed Us Media is helping entrepreneurs get their products ready for e-commerce and retail by designing marketing materials and guiding customers through what can otherwise be a tricky process.
“You have to find funding, craft a business plan, design packaging, establish distribution and proper promotion, just to name a few of the challenges,” said Morrill, who, in addition to his duties at Feed Us Media, serves as vice-chair of the Clark County Food System Council. “Our business creates pathways that simplify the process.”
Imaging services
Another area the firm focuses on involves imaging services, or e-commerce photography. Morrill said the goal is to make high quality imaging attainable for small producers without having to go through a custom commercial photographer.
“Whether it’s a product photographed in front of a white backdrop or viewed using 360-degree spin photography, imagery sells, and that’s especially true as more and more commerce is being done online,” he said.
For now, the three-person staff at Feed Us Media works primarily out of Morrill’s Vancouver home, but in the future the firm hopes to have a brick-and-mortar studio downtown.
Morrill said the firm is focused on serving Southwest Washington at this point, but wouldn’t rule out working with clients outside of the region, especially when it comes to services like product photography.
When asked if the local food movement is a large enough slice of the industry to fuel the growth of a marketing firm, Morrill left little doubt.
“People care about where their food comes from. Just look at Millennials. They want to know the story behind what they are consuming, and they aren’t afraid to pay a premium for that. So when I look ahead at the growth we’re going to see in this industry, I look at all this demand that’s coming and supply has to follow it, as it always does. We want to be there, ready to help producers take advantage.”
