In such an established and revered industry as agriculture, change doesn’t come easy. While progress has never faltered, branding has benefited technology as it is applied to agriculture. Agtech is bringing farming from the industrial age into the digital one and branding is helping organizations communicate those benefits.
Branding can help communicate the values that drive adoption.
In a market that big, competition is fierce. Your agtech product, service, or application won’t stand out without a strong brand.
A brand communicates the position and purpose of your product, service, or application. It can either align or dispel perceptions. A strong brand goes beyond the who, what, where, and why to tell users how you can change their lives.
A robust agtech brand encompasses:
- A memorable name,
- A visual identity including logo, color palettes, typography, and aesthetic;
- Positioning, both where the agtech fits in the market and how it stands out;
- Voice, tone, and storytelling; and organizational values.
Disruptive technology is creating a force for good in agriculture.
Many farmers and producers are running their farms the way they always have. Despite the industry’s history of innovation, farmers have been hesitant to allow technology to disrupt their processes.
As the World Economic Forum notes, “In our approaches to land management, resource use, labour, transportation and more, we’re firmly stuck in an outdated industrial model – emphasizing large-scale farms and massive output at all costs, while ignoring externalities from environmental impact to financial repercussions and human tolls.”
Adopting new agtech is a challenge, one that can be time-intensive and costly. Issues like population growth, food security, and climate change are driving the agtech industry towards functional solutions and positive outcomes.
See how DeltaBreed’s visual brand identity is driving software adoption.
Driving agtech adoption with effective branding
McKinsey suggests that farmers who don’t understand the reason to adopt hesitate to do so. “North American farmers cite high costs (52 percent) and unclear ROI (40 percent) as their biggest challenges to adopting farm-management systems.”
The hesitancy, the adherence to the tried-and-true, and the perception of disruption do not mean that farmers are unwilling to try new things. McKinsey’s survey also reported, “Thirty-nine percent of farmers surveyed globally are currently using or planning to use at least one agtech product in the next two years.”
Agtech branding can bridge the gap between understanding and adoption.
An organization that effectively brands its agtech product, service, or application increases the likelihood of a farmer understanding why they should adopt it.
An agtech brand is successful when a farmer understands:
- Who and what to look for – the farmer recognizes the visual identity of the agtech.
- Where to find it – the farmer knows where they can access the agtech.
- When to use it – the farmer knows how to apply the agtech.
- Why to use it – the farmer knows why they’ve chosen the agtech solution.
If a farmer fully comprehends why they should use your agtech, they are more likely to adopt your brand over the competitor’s or over their previous process for meeting that need.
The marriage of agriculture and technology is reshaping an industry deeply rooted in tradition. Change might not come easily to the agricultural sector, but the infusion of technology holds the promise of enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and profitability. However, for this transformation to take hold, effective branding emerges as a critical tool.
Technology brings agriculture forward, improving processes and production.
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry for food and non-food products. In the US, the 2017 Census of Agriculture reports approximately two million farms, with 3.4 million producers, or decision-makers, running those farms.
That data reports that 64% of producers are men and 58% of producers are between the ages of 35 and 64. 74% of farmers live on the farm and 73% have been farming for 11+ years.
While technology is relatively new in the grand scheme of things, agriculture is not. And the majority of farmers have been at it for over a decade.
Applying technology to agriculture creates products, services, and applications that seek to improve yield, efficiency, and profitability.
Also known as AgTech, agritech, or agrotech, Statista reported that the industry’s value in 2021 reached $6.2 billion. “The agtech market consists of the following segments: agricultural management platforms, supply chain and inventory management solutions, GPS services and field mapping services, agricultural monitoring services, and micro-farming solutions.”
The future of agriculture
As agriculture moves forward, guided by the promise of technology and the power of branding, the industry’s resilience shines through. The future of agtech will be shaped by the stories told through branding, connecting the past, present, and future of farming. By effectively conveying its transformative potential, agtech branding paves the way for a harmonious coexistence between tradition and progress, ensuring that the industry’s future remains as bountiful as its storied history.
29 Design Studio specializes in brand development and brand management. We believe business intelligence, strategic insights, and purposeful creativity are the basis of growth. Book a complimentary consultation to discover how we can help strengthen your brand and business.