1000 tons fair taste
Max Havelaar breaks new ground in communication with the campaign for fair rice
With the campaign for fair rice, Max Havelaar is exploring new communication channelsBy Markus Knöpfli So-called fairly traded rice should account for around five percent of rice consumption in Switzerland within a year. And according to the Max Havelaar Foundation, this should also be a question of good taste, which consumers buy by the packet from wholesalers.
In Switzerland, around five kilos of rice are consumed per capita every year. Around 30 percent of this risotto rice comes from Italy. All other varieties are imported either from the Far East (30%) or from the USA (40%). Now the Max Havelaar Foundation (MHS) has become involved in this market. The organization, which is committed to fair trade, is helping 1000 small Thai farmers to sell their rice in Switzerland. The prerequisite for this is a commitment to certain social and ecological standards. In return, the rice farmers receive a price that is higher than the local market price. The aim is to sell 1000 tons of this rice in Switzerland within a year, which would correspond to a market share of around five percent.
The MHS aims to achieve this goal through certification and monitoring, but primarily through communication. Contrary to popular belief, however, the MHS does not import or sell any products. It leaves that to the retail trade. Part of the MHS's communication task is to certify products that meet the international fair trade criteria. It also monitors compliance with these criteria.
The criteria include, among other things, that producers undertake to adhere to strict cultivation guidelines, allow democratic participation in their cooperatives or farms and pay agreed minimum wages.
Once such producers have been found, the MHS looks for (wholesale) distributors in this country who will purchase these products, enter into long-term contracts and pay cost-covering prices. Once this is guaranteed, the communicative go-ahead is given for the introduction of a newly certified product. This results in a division of labor between the MHS and the (wholesale) distributors: while the MHS communicates the launch of the new product, the distributors themselves are responsible for promoting their respective product brands.
In the case of rice, this worked as follows: the MHS was initially able to win over the Fairtrade pioneer Claro as well as Coop, Migros and Le Shop as distribution channels. In mid-March, the MHS then launched its advertising campaign (posters in Ticino). It informed consumers that fair trade rice was now available. In addition, the fair trade criteria were expanded in small print and the content of the quality seal was specified. Marco Rosenberg, responsible for the MHS campaign at the Basel agency MRG, explains: "We didn't do traditional product advertising for MHS, but a transparency campaign: we explain what happens to the additional proceeds from fair trade."
Sharply observed centimeter-sized logos
The MHS uses the launch of a newly certified product to remind consumers of the quality seal and its significance. The (wholesale) distributors can then use the image gained or reinforced in this way for product advertising by means of a logo on their packaging, thus creating an image transfer.
The individual distributors obviously attach very different importance to this, which can be clearly seen in the example of the new long-grain rice packs. Claro places its own product brand in the center, while the MHS seal of approval (diameter 3.2 centimeters) is somewhat to the side. What is also striking is that Claro's own claim "It's fair trade" is easier to read than the statement on the MHS logo, which is probably intended to emphasize its own pioneering role in fair trade. Coop, on the other hand, seems to place more emphasis on environmental protection than on social commitment, with its own Naturaplan label in the middle and the MHS logo (diameter 2.6 centimeters) also placed at the edge. Migros is different: by placing the MHS label (diameter 5.3 centimetres) prominently in the middle and adding a shadow, it practically turns Max Havelaar into a product brand. In addition, the logo is visible on three sides of the pack.
With the newly launched MHS rice campaign, the foundation, which has now been in existence for ten years, is also hinting at a change in image. Whereas the campaign headlines previously emphasized the newly certified product and its benefits for producers (example: "This coffee gives work."), the current slogan "Because fairness is part of good taste" focuses on the pleasure of the palate. The product rice is not even mentioned in the headline and fades into the background, especially as it is not clearly recognizable in the picture.
Max Havelaar Foundation leads the way in Europe
Caterina Meier-Pfister, Head of Communications at Max Havelaar, confirms: "The main emphasis this time was on the benefits that fair trade brings to producers, trading partners and consumers alike." The aim of Max Havelaar's future communication is "to move away from the admonishing finger, the guilty conscience and the charity and instead emphasize taste, quality and product diversity".
The move away from the previous product-oriented communication strategy towards a more pleasure-oriented approach, which also establishes a standard ("... is part of good taste"), is all the easier as Max Havelaar has achieved an unsupported level of awareness of 42 percent and a supported level of 62 percent according to a survey conducted in 2000.
Incidentally, this puts the Swiss foundation in the lead compared to similar Fairtrade initiatives in 16 other countries. This is also reflected in the market shares of MHS-certified products such as coffee, bananas, chocolate, sugar, honey, tea, orange juice and flowers, which range from 1 to 20 percent depending on the product.
A brighter future For its tenth anniversary, the MHS had its seal of approval refreshed by the Basel-based graphic design studio Ritz & Häfliger, while ensuring that it remained recognizable. The logo is now lighter and livelier. The previously muscular, rather static figure has been given legs and appears lively. The globe, basket and background - painted with racy brushstrokes - reinforce this impression. The trilingual claim "With a plus for everyone" has been dropped. Instead, "Fair trade certified" appears in fine lettering. "We want to communicate more clearly that the MHS seal of approval stands for fair trade," says Caterina Meier-Pfister. This is because Max Havelaar has all too often been perceived as an eco or organic label.
In Switzerland, around five kilos of rice are consumed per capita every year. Around 30 percent of this risotto rice comes from Italy. All other varieties are imported either from the Far East (30%) or from the USA (40%). Now the Max Havelaar Foundation (MHS) has become involved in this market. The organization, which is committed to fair trade, is helping 1000 small Thai farmers to sell their rice in Switzerland. The prerequisite for this is a commitment to certain social and ecological standards. In return, the rice farmers receive a price that is higher than the local market price. The aim is to sell 1000 tons of this rice in Switzerland within a year, which would correspond to a market share of around five percent.
The MHS aims to achieve this goal through certification and monitoring, but primarily through communication. Contrary to popular belief, however, the MHS does not import or sell any products. It leaves that to the retail trade. Part of the MHS's communication task is to certify products that meet the international fair trade criteria. It also monitors compliance with these criteria.
The criteria include, among other things, that producers undertake to adhere to strict cultivation guidelines, allow democratic participation in their cooperatives or farms and pay agreed minimum wages.
Once such producers have been found, the MHS looks for (wholesale) distributors in this country who will purchase these products, enter into long-term contracts and pay cost-covering prices. Once this is guaranteed, the communicative go-ahead is given for the introduction of a newly certified product. This results in a division of labor between the MHS and the (wholesale) distributors: while the MHS communicates the launch of the new product, the distributors themselves are responsible for promoting their respective product brands.
In the case of rice, this worked as follows: the MHS was initially able to win over the Fairtrade pioneer Claro as well as Coop, Migros and Le Shop as distribution channels. In mid-March, the MHS then launched its advertising campaign (posters in Ticino). It informed consumers that fair trade rice was now available. In addition, the fair trade criteria were expanded in small print and the content of the quality seal was specified. Marco Rosenberg, responsible for the MHS campaign at the Basel agency MRG, explains: "We didn't do traditional product advertising for MHS, but a transparency campaign: we explain what happens to the additional proceeds from fair trade."
Sharply observed centimeter-sized logos
The MHS uses the launch of a newly certified product to remind consumers of the quality seal and its significance. The (wholesale) distributors can then use the image gained or reinforced in this way for product advertising by means of a logo on their packaging, thus creating an image transfer.
The individual distributors obviously attach very different importance to this, which can be clearly seen in the example of the new long-grain rice packs. Claro places its own product brand in the center, while the MHS seal of approval (diameter 3.2 centimeters) is somewhat to the side. What is also striking is that Claro's own claim "It's fair trade" is easier to read than the statement on the MHS logo, which is probably intended to emphasize its own pioneering role in fair trade. Coop, on the other hand, seems to place more emphasis on environmental protection than on social commitment, with its own Naturaplan label in the middle and the MHS logo (diameter 2.6 centimeters) also placed at the edge. Migros is different: by placing the MHS label (diameter 5.3 centimetres) prominently in the middle and adding a shadow, it practically turns Max Havelaar into a product brand. In addition, the logo is visible on three sides of the pack.
With the newly launched MHS rice campaign, the foundation, which has now been in existence for ten years, is also hinting at a change in image. Whereas the campaign headlines previously emphasized the newly certified product and its benefits for producers (example: "This coffee gives work."), the current slogan "Because fairness is part of good taste" focuses on the pleasure of the palate. The product rice is not even mentioned in the headline and fades into the background, especially as it is not clearly recognizable in the picture.
Max Havelaar Foundation leads the way in Europe
Caterina Meier-Pfister, Head of Communications at Max Havelaar, confirms: "The main emphasis this time was on the benefits that fair trade brings to producers, trading partners and consumers alike." The aim of Max Havelaar's future communication is "to move away from the admonishing finger, the guilty conscience and the charity and instead emphasize taste, quality and product diversity".
The move away from the previous product-oriented communication strategy towards a more pleasure-oriented approach, which also establishes a standard ("... is part of good taste"), is all the easier as Max Havelaar has achieved an unsupported level of awareness of 42 percent and a supported level of 62 percent according to a survey conducted in 2000.
Incidentally, this puts the Swiss foundation in the lead compared to similar Fairtrade initiatives in 16 other countries. This is also reflected in the market shares of MHS-certified products such as coffee, bananas, chocolate, sugar, honey, tea, orange juice and flowers, which range from 1 to 20 percent depending on the product.
A brighter future For its tenth anniversary, the MHS had its seal of approval refreshed by the Basel-based graphic design studio Ritz & Häfliger, while ensuring that it remained recognizable. The logo is now lighter and livelier. The previously muscular, rather static figure has been given legs and appears lively. The globe, basket and background - painted with racy brushstrokes - reinforce this impression. The trilingual claim "With a plus for everyone" has been dropped. Instead, "Fair trade certified" appears in fine lettering. "We want to communicate more clearly that the MHS seal of approval stands for fair trade," says Caterina Meier-Pfister. This is because Max Havelaar has all too often been perceived as an eco or organic label.
