Surely by now you have seen and/or heard the uproar that the Panera’s ‘EZ Chicken’ campaign started with the farming community? Not too long after that Chipotle came around with their now infamous scarecrow advertisement which misleads the viewer into fearful (illustrated) demonstrations on how evil farming is. Quite frankly, if these restaurant chains were available in *Alberta I wouldn’t support them. Panera uses the fear-marketing technique that they only use “all natural antibiotic free” chicken. So why do companies like Panera capitalize on this? Because Suzie Creamcheese is standing outside of Panera and another leading sandwich company’s stores and advertised on the window of Panera’s is: “All Natural Antibiotic Free Chicken!”….but the sandwich store next door doesn’t say that! Suzie doesn’t want to eat antibiotics in her sandwich! Suzie better eat at Panera then. Little does Suzie (probably) know…all chicken must be antibiotic free and this is the same for Canada. The other store just chose not to mislead the consumer in advertising this way.
Now the latest restaurant to use fear-marketing is A&W Canada with their new marketing campaign for “100% pure beef raised without any added hormones or steroids“. The conversation on Twitter was quite amusing when real ranchers stepped in to discuss certain points that were very misleading in their new ad campaign.
Our Pure Beef Guarantee simply means that all of our beef is raised without added hormones or steroids, and comes from ranchers who are committed to ethical, sustainable practices. We only use 100% beef for our burger patties and add absolutely nothing else. No additives. No preservatives. Just beef.
— A&W Canada
With that statement, I feel it can lure people into assuming that A&W believes that conventional ranchers who practice differently are not ethical or sustainable, and such is not true. By using the words “better beef” they are then putting cattle producers against each other when “all production decisions, methods, and practices end up in safe, high quality, and wholesome Canadian beef” as the Canadian Cattleman’s Association stated. Hormones occur naturally in animals and plants (and humans too!) which is why they have to state “any added” in their new slogan.
Every single beef product, whether it’s from organic, or natural, or conventional beef production, goes through exactly the same level of checks and balances, [A&W has] just chosen for whatever reason to not use products that have been through Health Canada’s approval process. [A&W’s] decision not to use them is not going to make their beef any better or any safer.
— Reynold Bergen, Beef Cattle Research Council
The Use of Hormones in Beef Cattle
The truth is, that in Canada we are allowed to use growth promotants for our beef cattle. One of the ways is the use of antimicrobials that improve the nutrient availability to the cattle or through hormonal growth implants which give the hormones that are already naturally produced in the animal a “boost”. I had to look that up to inform myself, as I assumed that when you hear that our beef cattle has “hormones” added to it that they’re injecting the cows with syringes full of growth hormone – which simply isn’t the case. As Jenny, whose family owns & operates a butcher shop says: “over 90 percent of the cattle fed receive a hormone implant during growth and this usually occurs as the animal enters the feedlot. The effect of the hormone implant will have worn off well before the animal is shipped to market, meaning that the effectiveness of the hormone implant will have terminated well before the animal is slaughtered. Therefore, residues and/or traces of this hormone implant is not an issue.” Jenny does a really great job explaining more about hormones in beef in this blog post. Steroids and hormones are one in the same and have been approved for use in beef cattle since the 1950s. So that’s just another fear-mongering technique A&W has decided to use. Instead of just claiming “Rasied Without Any Added Hormones” they choose to say “Raised Without Any Added Hormones or Steroids”! It’s quite redundant.
Sustainability & Efficiency
By A&W also stating that they are “committed to ethical, sustainable practices”, it pretty much throws ranchers who raise their cattle in a different way under the bus. As far as sustainability goes, here are some statistics & facts from Beef Cattle Research Council if growth promotants are not used:
- Feedlot production costs would be 8% higher
- To produce the same amount of Canadian beef would require 12% more cattle, 10% more land, 11% more feed, 4% more water, 7% more fuel and fertilizer
- The reduced feed efficiency and more days to finish so means the cattle would produce 10% more manure (with 10% more nitrogen and 11% more phosphorus), & 10% more and greenhouse gasses in the process
- Margins are typically very tight for cattle feeders due to high costs for calves and feed, so the added expense may put most cattle feeders out of business
- Added production costs in combination with lower supplies would markedly increase retail prices, making Canadian beef unaffordable for many families and uncompetitive in the world market
Considering the proper use of growth promotant technologies don’t pose any scientifically-founded food safety concerns, halting the use of them would have obvious negative ramifications for the Canadian beef industry and the environment. This is something that scientists, researchers, food inspection agencies, universities, farmers, and ranchers take very seriously. They want to make sure that they are raising healthy beef in the most efficient way possible for their business and for the safety of the consumer. I’m pretty curious as to how A&W claims to be more sustainable and efficient? They import some of their beef from Montana, and even Australia, and said on their Twitter feed that overall their carbon footprint is less and state their info is from “an independent carbon management organization who audited our beef purchasing”, yet no one has seen this data.
There is a place for more than one type of beef production in Canada, but A&W claiming that this way is more ethical & sustainable is wrong in my books. At the end of the day A&W is a fast food restaurant chain. They sell processed, deep fried food, not deemed to be healthy by any standards food. Yet…they’re aiming to sell their burgers as “the first and only national burger restaurant in Canada to serve beef raised without added hormones or steroids.”
For my fast food needs, I think I’ll stick with McDonalds. They use 100% pure Canadian beef also advertised with no additives, preservatives, or fillers. I also like the approach they are taking with their “Our food. Your questions.” campaign. As for A&W? You guys should withdraw this ad campaign and stick with big, cuddly Root Bears and bring back the frosted mugs. I’ll miss my root beers but I’m not supporting your fear-marketing. I want to be an agvocate for Canadian agriculture and inform my readers as well.
*Edit: I changed Canada to Alberta as apparently there are Chipotle & Panera restaurants in other parts of Canada, but not in Alberta.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post and no compensation was received, all opinions are my own.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2014 Sarah Schultz
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I’ve never liked A&W’s current campaign, it’s hokey as hell, but I can’t help it, there are times I just gotta have a Teenburger, rings, and root beer (diet) in a frosty mug. Sorry.
[…] articles on the danger of this fear marketing. Sarah’s post on her Nurse Loves Farmer blog, Fear Marketing: I’ve Got a Beef with A&W, and Andrew Campbell’s piece for Real Agriculture, I’m Done with Fearing Food and Done […]
[…] who blogs at Nurse Loves Farmer, pulled the stats from the Beef Cattle Research Council, and explains in her blog post on the topic, that if we didn’t use these tiny implants, it would take 12% more cattle, 11% more feed, and 10% […]
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[…] another marketing ploy by A&W? I haven’t eaten at A&W restaurants since their “Better Beef ” campaign and I was shocked to see their new campaign that started about a month ago. They […]
[…] that’s why there isn’t a one-size-fits-all way of marketing a product. Perhaps A&W didn’t outright say “our beef is better because it is raised without hormones” […]
A&W’s marketing strategy is not about fear mongering it’s about giving consumers what they’re asking for. Beef that is raised as naturally and ethically as possible. Your defending the status quo where the only way to raise cattle is to use added hormones and steroids. Does it not make sense to eat food that is as natural as possible? Does it not make sense to use more sustainable and environmentally friendly forms of farming? There is a huge shift in perception going on right now of where our food comes from and what we eat. If you put two burgers in front of people and tell them one has no added hormones and steroids and was raised on a farm that is environmentally friendly and that the other burger has added hormones, steroids and was raised on a conventional farm the overwhelming number of people will pick the first burger. People want body healthy and earth healthy food options and A&W is trying to provide that. It’s that simple. Whether you like it or not many people are looking for an alternative to the food industry status quo. As demand grows we will continue to see a change in this industry just as we have seen the change in other industries like cars making the move to hybrid and electric. Companies and industries that recognize this and are willing to change are the ones that will survive and thrive.
Hey Jason,
Sorry for the late reply. A&W continually says this is what their customers have asked for, yet fail to provide the proof when asked. When you say it is raised naturally and "ethically", are the majority of ranchers who raise cattle with the use of growth promotants make them unethical? The research and statistics prove that using growth promotants IS the more sustainable choice, as I have shown in this post, it is very environmentally friendly. Fitting a niche market—fine. Plenty of room for that, I just personally don't like the "Better Beef" slogan. I also believe, as you bring up, that if people wanted a healthy body they would probably skip the fast food. This beef that A&W is serving is no nutritionally better than what they were serving before. It's all about using the fear of the consumer by using buzzwords like "no added hormones".
[…] its system long before it goes to market. Here are some stats from a blog post by Sarah Schults http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/2013/09/fear-marketing/; (she sourced the Beef Cattle Research Council at […]
interesting topic. i don't think you want the root beer either it is right at the top of the list of products containing gmo's
Not a concern of mine at all, Alan.
[…] strikes up angst and panic where there need not be. By no means is COBS in the same category of other brands who have advertised in a far worse ways, but it is completely unnecessary, to me, to advertise anything GMO-free, but especially products […]
I think you lost credibility in my eyes when you choose McDonalds as your source for better ANYTHING.
Steve, I'm comparing fast-food here. I wouldn't choose McDonald's over a home-cooked burger any day. I did say "For my fast food needs, I think I’ll stick with McDonalds." if you'd care to read it again.
Hey farmer here's a novel idea; raise the animal as it was meant to be raised. Let it roam free and eat grass. The only reason you no longer do that is money, plain simple. Quit telling us there is nothing wrong with your methods when clearly science supports that there is. The terrible fatty acid profile of feedlot animals especially cattle is all the proof one should need.
Support your local farmers only if they are doing things right.
Hi there,
I think we can agree that this is not a sustainable or efficient way to raise all beef cattle. There is a market for "free-range" and grass-fed only cattle – our neighbor raises his this way, just buy from ranchers like him. I believe in the science and research, that backs it up, what does your science say to dispute this?
Animals were raised naturally for centuries. I would say its sustainable.
Its farmers and ‘cattle groups’ who are interested in efficiency and profits who have screwed up the beef in NA. The average Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acid ratio for feedlot beef is 17:1. That’s BAD. It should be 3-6:1. Its one of the reasons red meat in general gets a bad rap. The further away you get from 3:1 the more unbalanced your fat intake becomes. A proper balance of lean protein with a balance of fats is the way our bodies operate most efficiently.
Like I said in my first reply – it's not sustainable to raise all beef that way. If that's the way you want your beef, buy it from a rancher who raises in that way. On a big scale, not possible.
I'm sorry but I don't think your position as the wife of a rancher/farmer will allow you to be open minded enough to accept the truth. I will gladly buy and promote beef or any product that is raised responsibly and humanely as opposed to what you consider sustainable.
I'm a grain farmer's wife, all I know about cattle is what I've researched and talked to about people in the industry. I think it's unfair to say the use of growth promotants is unethical and not sustainable.
You just answered your own question as to why A&W isn't buying all it's beef from Canada. On a large scale it's not possible. If more cattle was raised this way I'm sure they would buy it all from Canada as it would be cheaper than transporting it from other countries.
They won't share any statistics as to why they import. My neighbour raises all his beef from there but his finisher hasn't been approached by A&W. I stated that it's not sustainable to raise ALL cattle this way.
Has anybody looked into the Kotelkos Highland Feedlot? Find the truth out about Spring Creek ranch
Not sure where you're going with that thought? Care to elaborate?
[…] Fear-Marketing: I’ve Got a Beef with A&W […]
I completely disagree with the premise of this post!!
ALL FARMERS NEED TO
DO THEIR BEST TO INCREASE FOOD QUALITY!!
It's about time they competed
against one another to do
that!!
And yes change is hard ….
Notice the McDonalds ads
don't claim they don 't
use antibiotics or hormones…
because they do on the factory
farms that supply their meat!!
Hi Tom. You're absolutely allowed to disagree with the premise of my post, but to come on a farmer's wife's blog and "YELL" in all capital letters at me that farmers need to be doing a better job??? Oof. I think farmer's don't get enough pats on the back. We continually thank doctors for saving our lives and making us feel better. We thank our teachers for taking on the hard job of educating our children. We thank the power company and it's employees for fixing power in the storm. But when do most of us thank farmers? They provide us with all of our food, which is essential to our existence!
If A&W wants to be a forerunner in to compete against McDonalds – I think they've already taken that leap for targeting a market that no one ever knew existed. I have asked them multiple times to provide their sources and research stating that people wanted no added hormones in their beef, yet the continually ignore me. Did you know there's more hormones in a serving of A&W fries than their "conventional" burgers before this campaign started? There's hormones in everything (even you!). As for McDonalds, they source all their meat from Cargill, please define "factory farms". See here for more on antibiotics, all cows need to go through a withdrawl period (no more drugs in their systems) before they are slaughtered: http://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/questions/4816
The best thing you can do for your health or the planet is stop eating meat. Fact.
That's a very subjective thing to say, Julie! I think that the whole world can't eat meat, that's not sustainable, but there's a lot of vegetarians and vegans out there so I think that there's a nice balance.
There is no scientific evidence to prove this. There is only speculation. If you hve an actual FACT please post proof here. Just be sure it is a current, peer reviewed medical study published in a trusted journal. NOT Becky Blogs Against Beef. Humans were meant to eat meat. Don't be an idiot.
Please remember to be respectful when commenting, thanks.
There is so much evidence. If there is not much peer-reviewed scientific research yet to support what many doctors are realizing, that is because it is a relatively new discovery. Plus, there is a LOT of money and support for the mainstream meat/dairy industry, including government support. There is a lot of hard science out there saying meat/dairy is destructive to humans, the environment, and of course the animals. Just because you don't want something to be true because it might mean you have to change the way you live and leave your bubble of comfort, doesn't mean it isn't true.
Why can't we let the people decide what to eat? This seems like a very vegetarian/vegan driven argument. Animal agriculture is a huge part of our economy and without them for the ag industry, they wouldn't be around, they're too expensive to keep as pets.
While you have every right to express an opinion as I do I, I believe you have not really done your research. Due diligence would suggest you have your facts & we all know that stats can be “twisted” anyway you want to support your position. As a rancher who raises only grass fed beef cattle I have found a large & continually growing market for our beef. Sure, there lots of folks who simply don`t care what goes into their beef & Pfizer loves. As for my clients, we care! Sincerely, Rich
Hi Rich, I’d love it if you would elaborate a bit more on what you mean to me and whoever else is reading. I’m not sure which stats I have “twisted”???
I do believe there is absolutely a market for beef that you raise (only grass fed), I don’t deny that – what I do not understand, which we have asked A&W Canada on Twitter repeatedly and they continue to ignore – is where is the marketing research that states their customers wanted “no added hormone” burgers at a fast food restaurant. THAT is my “beef” with this campaign.
I choose to trust the 60 years of research behind the use of growth promotants and feel safe consuming it. To each their own and we’re blessed to even have the choice.
[…] doctor”, but he continually disregards scientific evidence. I’ve touched on fear-marketing that takes advantage of the (innocently) ignorant consumer, and I am constantly annoyed at all the […]
People, do not listen to the two comments posted above mine by Paul and Dave. "too bad A&W didn't open 100% Canadian beef instead of 100% hormone free"…. You have got to be kidding me. Why do they have to be two opposing ideas? This post will likely be edited because, after all, I am not agreeing with the troll posts above mine.Regardless, Dave and Paul are wrong, Cattle are not commodities that are to be pumped full of hormones and antibiotics as a means of making the biggest buck, they are animals. Dave, please, go look for a "Canadian chain selling Canadian beef" because nothing tastes better than a cow that lived a unhappy, unhealthy, unnatural, inhumane, greed inflicted, hormone pumped, antibiotic-y life.
But there are "scientifically-founded food safety concerns". And cost does NOT justify potential harm in our food supply. Sorry, if the best argument beef producers can come up with is "…but you will pay more…", or that very outdated guidelines and testing are sufficient, that is not good enough. It won't hurt those other businesses to say NO ADDED hormones or steroids. Or will it?
How are the guidelines outdated? Testing over 60 years isn't sufficient?
[…] other blogs and internet chatter it seems we are to deduce that ‘no added’ means outside of any […]
Glad to see this as I was just about to write A&W for their misleading adds. I'm a 27 year Canadian Dairy Industry professional, mainly in Industrial Dairy ingredients for further processors. We know, understand and contribute to Canada's Dairy Industry rules and regulations. We need to claim rBGH free for our Dairy ingredients. A&W purchases beef from around the world, mainly in Canada and the US. I like A&W's products from time to time but would rather support a company using 100% Canadian beef and not resort to misleading marketing practices. Loblaws has a similar add on TV about pork or how their suppliers hogs are raised at the farm and also claiming hormone/steroid free but at least, while the add is running, you can see some small print that writes that the use of hormones is not permitted in Canada.
Thanks for your comment, Dan. I too saw the Loblaw's add and in their tiny writing they do disclose that the use of hormones isn't permitted anyway. Playing on the "ignorance" of the consumer. Smart marketing? Not to me.
Sorry but I don't understand the "fear mongering" that you speak of with respect to A&W. Can you please explain yourself using scientific evidence so that we can all better understand why it's healthier for you, me, livestock and the planet to consume meat that is pumped full of artificial hormones? I think I would find the scientific evidence quite interesting if you could in fact present it!
"Explain myself using scientific evidence"? This is my blog and my opinion and I believe this topic to be subjective, Adriana. I didn't claim the use of growth promotants to be "healthier" but it is better for the environment and more efficient, your scientific evidence is linked in this blog post if you would care to read this again. Thanks.
Um, do some research. Both Chipotle and Panera ARE in Canada, so your statement that you wouldn't support them IF they were here makes no sense.
They aren't in Alberta, no need to be rude.
I like A&W when I need a burger in a hurry. You don't need to have all the sauce and mayo; just ask for the burger without it. Besides, as far as I know they are the only fast food restaurant that allows you to have your burger on a whole wheat bun.
Gerry
I appreciate both sides of this discussion and really like @Sweigum's comments on the subject. I also feel that if anywhere near as much effort was put into educating the general public about conventional beef production as has been put into criticizing A&W, then we would not be concerned about people being uninformed about hormones/antibiotics. A&W is simply stating how their beef is different, not saying other beef is bad (the way Chipotle has). It is not A&W's fault that the average consumer is not aware of how Canadian beef is raised or how safe it is – we should be asking ourselves why we haven't done as good of a job marketing this. Consumers are becoming increasingly curious about where their food comes from and have been asking for products such as A&W is providing – as producers, we should be willing to listen to our customers, otherwise we forfeit the right to be upset when they cannot find enough Canadian beef raised to their specs. If ranchers truly believe that beef raised conventionally (with hormones and growth promotants) has desirable features as a product, why not develop some marketing based around that and sell what they are doing? I, for one, would be interested to see how many consumers walk up to the counter and select the beef advertised as being "raised WITH added hormones & growth promotants" because it is "environmentally efficient and we have been doing it for 60 years". Welcome to the 21st century, please teach your children and grandchildren to recognize opportunity and adapt to change if you want them to survive and thrive in agriculture – if people in Agriculture were all afraid of change, we wouldn't be where we are today. I'm not suggesting we should all jump on the "raised without hormones" bandwagon, but I don't think we should lay in front of it, either. There has been beef "raised without antibiotics or added hormones" sold in grocery stores and farmers markets and served at restaurants for years, with an exponentially-increasing demand. Why is this such news to everyone in the beef industry? Let's make this a positive and take advantage of the increased interest in where food comes from to step-up our focus on providing education about Canadian Agriculture! If we stay so focused on the negativity surrounding this campaign and bringing down A&W, we are no better than Chipotle – focusing so much on why something else is bad that we forget to mention why we are good.
If these implants are so safe why are they banned in all European countiries? Safety of hormonal implants has been questioned on the basis that residues from these implants in beef may significantly increase exposure of humans, particularly children, to estrogens and other
hormones which may adversely affect health. Estrogens are naturally present in all mammals, with higher concentrations in females during the reproductive phase of their lives. According to evaluations by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC;215), there is currently sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of estradiol and limited evidence for the carcinogenicity of testosterone to humans. Experiments with some of the other compounds used in implants have shown that, under certain conditions, they may cause adverse effects in experimental animals.
What are the effects of low concentrations of hormones.? Scientific research suggests that even though excess exposureto hormones in beef from implanted cattle may amount to as little as 1 to several hundred nanograms per person, preadolescent boys and girls and the fetus
in utero may be very sensitive to slight increases in hormone levels.
No-one is scare-mongering, but giving the consumer a choice. I would rather take notice of recognised unbiased Scientific reports than the 'enlightenment' from someone who has a vested interest in the Cattle Breeding Industry. Countries do not ban products for no reason, and Cattle Breeders in European countries manage perfectly well to produce a good quality product without the need to introduce Steroids. Just because a Steroid or Hormone is produced naturlally in an animals body does not mean its OK to 'boost ' it -just look at the problems human Body-builders have when they overdose on Steroids that are naturally produced in the human body -your argument that these steroid implants are 'natural' is at the worst ridiculous ant the best very naive.
Hi Clarissa. A lot of Europe makes their laws and policies based on the precautionary principle as I learned for my research doing my GMO labeling post here –> http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/2013/09/gmo-label… Pretty much letting activists, lobbyists, and fear govern the policy-making even when there is scientific evidence that states that GM foods and beef produced with hormone promoters are safe (hormones have been 'added' to beef for over 60 years). So I disagree with you, I think coutries ban things for no-good reasons sometimes, especially in the corrupt European Union. Just because a country bans certain practices/policies (ex. gay marriage) does that mean we should jump off that bridge too?
I just trust the researchers and more importantly the people that work with beef cattle every single day. I'm not an expert, nor do I claim to be, but I do trust the experts in this field. Perhaps you should reach out to some beef producers on Twitter?
Great post, Sarah! Thanks for sharing! Misinformation was once something that was just passed around on social media and in memes (which was enough to deal with as it was). But now it appears that words and gimicky visuals are now formally introduced into marketing campaigns by companies that intentionally mislead in order to capture market share. Where's the science (and ethics) in that?
On another note, I often seek out "Mom at the Meat Counter" for her insights,too. http://momatthemeatcounter.blogspot.ca/ She is a great resource as one tries to separate the 'wheat and the chaff'.
Thanks for reading, Cami! It's unfortunate that a lot of brands and companies are going this route. As Rob (songberry) pointed out, this isn't as "bad" as Chipotle by any stretch, but it does lead a person to assume that other beef is "inferior" to A&W's no-added-hormone "better" beef.
I will check out that blog – thanks!
I always get a chuckle out of stuff like this…hormones?…Hmmmm… do women taking birth control not realise just how many TENS of THOUSANDS times more hormone they willingly and by CHOICE put in their bodies on a DAILY basis, than what comes in the meat they eat on a WEEKLY basis?… all this advertising crap and uneducated bandwagon jumping is sososo stupid… perspective, it goes a long way….these businesses pander/promote to the uneducated masses… *sigh*…gets tiresome.
Oh I know it! Someone pointed out on Twitter that 3 oz of potatoes contains more hormones than 3 oz of beef. This type of advertising takes advantage of people's innocent naivety and think that, in this instance, beef raised with growth promoters must then be dangerous if A&W went through all the hassle of using and marketing "without added hormone" beef. sigh is right!
I was pretty much going to ignore A&W (unless a half price coupon showed up in the mail) until they tried to tell me on twitter about the "lower carbon footprint of grass fed Australian cattle". I didn't major in geography, but I'm pretty sure Australia is a long way from my local A&W. I didn't do any searches on google, but I'm willing to bet there isn't a lot of solar powered, refrigerated cargo ships sailing that beef to Canadian ports. I'm also pretty sure the trucks and trains bring that Australian beef inland to the prairies aren't exactly Eco-friendly either.
I'm no tree-hugger and I don't really think much about carbon footprints. But I do recognize a poorly conceived marketing campaign that attempts to answer questions from consumers by spewing out buzzwords. I can also spot poor accounting of greenhouse gas emissions, food safety, animal health and more.
When I asked them on twitter if they were trying to become 100% Canadian and drop the imports to support the communities that support them… they suddenly got very quiet and chose not to answer. Their silence speaks volumes. They want cheap beef to feed to customers scared of something they need not be.
I want to buy Canadian. I want to support the farmers and ranchers in my community. And I'm willing to pay a little more to support Canadian agriculture.
I am not willing to support A&W any more… Coupons or no coupons.
Haha, thanks for the comment, Rick! Your tweet sure made waves on Twitter the other day! I, too, saw that they were trying to convince us that their carbon footprint was less than obtaining beef in Canada. Jay said the same thing as you about the cargo, transport, etc…I guess the A&W Twitter guy didn't have those prompts to respond too and just had to ignore them! I'm not a "super" tree-hugger but I do care about our environment enough to have a problem with this campaign claiming to have "better beef" and they import it from Montana and as far as Australia.
Anywho – I agree with you and thanks for the comment – yay Canada!
My husband says that we're all too swayed by "feelings" these days. We don't make decisions or cast votes or buy products based on facts, but on how it all makes us "feeeeeeeel". Right or wrong – it seems to be the case; I don't think there's any slowing it down. I love Chipotle but that commercial is so misleading it makes me sad. Are there A&W's in the US? Maybe just not in Dallas so I'm not familiar with their marketing, but the whole thing makes me uncomfortable.
I'm always happy to read your well educated and researched posts. I think more farmers need to speak up and help those of us who are just relying on our "feeeeeelings" and not the facts.
Yes we are so "feel all the feelings" now aren't we! Your husband is so right! I'm glad that the Chipotle commercial is hitting some people not involved in the ag industry that way, I just fear that people are starting to think that conventional farming is "evil" as Chipotle portrays it and will start really damaging the ag industry.
Thank you for your kind words, these are fastly becoming my most popular posts 🙂
In the 1970's — Detroit's auto companies didn't take the competition from Japanese auto companies seriously.
In the 1980's — Mainframe computer companies didn't take the competition from PC's seriously.
In the 1990's — the phone companies thought the internet was a fad.
And recently — Blackberry ignored the rise of the smart-phone and focused on their proprietary network.
The point is that in consumer capitalism — nothing stays the same.
It might be though false science/fear/hype/whatever but is pretty obvious that consumers are being convinced that they want to feel that their food is being produced in a "Good Way" — whatever that means.
Canadian grain producers are already pretty much locked out of Europe with our GMO products because we didn't combat the food safety concerns effectively. It doesn't take a big leap of faith to see where Canadian beef producers could be locked out of our own countries markets because they didn't take this shift in consumer preferences seriously.
Very good points! I think if this trend continues and people continue to be misinformed about the safety of GMOs, animals produced with hormone promoters, that gluten is not bad for you or evil…our world's food supply is going to change drastically.
I'm starting to see a shift in how companies are doing business. Companies like Chipotle, Panera, A&W, Sobeys and Walmart, to name a few, are now getting involved with policies that affect farm practices. They are becoming the voice of farmers and it's happening with out us realizing it. Some could be good like Walmart being involved in 4R stewardship for fertilizer use and practices but others are misleading such as A&W hormone and steroid free beef. A&W ad is just one of the arising campaigns to throw primary producers under the bus and really misleading the consumer. I don't blame the consumer for not knowing because the fact is that we are so good at producing food that only a fraction of the population really knows anything about it. Sarah outlined the reasons very well above.
1) Hormones have been used since the 1950s and have had great environmental impacts and safety records.
a) A&W has used them for 60 years why now have the change of heart?
b) You are a fast food restaurant, don't try to fancy it up.
2) Saying that shipping less efficient beef half way around the world either live or in a freezer is not leaving a better carbon foot print. If anyone believes that they are being naïve. Alberta or the rest of Canada has an abundance of great beef and it is also naïve to think A&W could not source it here where the customer is. I'm not a beef producer but I live in a beef producing area and have neighbours and friends raise cattle. We have sold barley to feed lots over the years for a source of income. I don't want to see misleading information spread or a problem created out of nothing. Just like I don't want to see false information spread about GMO safety, organic production, or gluten free health claims. You can have your opinions about each of these issues but trying to market your product on unsound and false information while damning others practices is getting really old for me. Stop biting the hand that feeds you and ask questions instead #agvocacy
Hi Sarah, well written post. The A&W campaign annoyed me for a lot of the reasons you mentioned, but your post also got me thinking about another beef marketing effort, namely the Albert Beef Producers campaigns. They've used value statements similar to that of A&W. One of their slogans is "Raised Right" which, if you were an uptight rancher from Saskatchewan, you could take to mean that you don't raise your beef "right" (whatever that means). Then there's the "If it ain't Alberta, it ain't beef" which is obviously not even true. These are not perfect comparisons. For example, the ABP doesn't make value statements on specific production practices like the A&W ads do, but it did make me wonder why as farmers we are upset by an A&W campaign and not by an Alberta Beef campaign (beside the ones who are from Alberta and are undoubtedly very supportive of such a successful campaign). I guess the reason that comes to mind is that this is a distinct shift in the knowledge dispensing roles. We've expected the CFIA and other regulatory bodies in conjunction with producers to come up with the best rules for raising animals and then enforce them. We expect producers to follow these rules and do their very best at caring for the animals humanely. We expect industry organizations like ABP and the breed associations to act as a voice for the producers. And finally we expect A&W and their kind to provide us a safely prepared (albeit subpar) food product. Now A&W is jumping back a couple steps in the food chain and acting as an authority on something that traditionally we didn't thing of as "their job." To add insult to injury they go somewhat against conventional practices and vaguely intimate that these conventional practices are somehow "less."
All this thinking and writing and I'm still not sure what to make of the campaign or my gut reaction to it. Will take a fast-food chain as the voice of authority on this issue? I don't know. But it's clear that people are looking for information from any source. So we as farmers need to keep leveraging our own stories in a compelling way.
Thanks for this awesome comment! I've been thinking a lot about marketing and slogans too. It's a slippery slope and I"m realizing that more and more as people comment and reach out to me on Twitter. My biggest problem is that A&W (a fast food restaurant that does not serve 'healthy' food by any stretch) has a new campaign for "better beef" because it is "raised right" wtihout added hormones or steroids. To the layperson, I might start buying A&W burgers because "why on earth would I want extra hormones in my burger? Eww that's gross!" as I pointed out in the first paragraph of this post. I think they are taking advantage of a practice that has been effective and safe for over 60 years, a product that they themselves used for 60 years. My interpretation is that they are throwing conventional practices under the bus – but that's MY interpretation, clearly not everyone agrees with me, nor do I expect them to! 🙂
This scare mongering or planting a worry seed seems to be a common way to advertize today. It must work as the average consumer seems to not be much of a critical thinker. I particularly disliked the advertizing on tinned fruit which read, [I don't buy tinned fruit so it may still be on the label] cholesterol free! I wonder how many consumers did a double take at that. Not many I bet. This is a good topic Sarah.
Thanks (as always!), Marjorie! Yes – I have a *huge* problem with misleading advertising. I've even seen bloggers advertise "gluten free fruit salad"…I wasn't aware there was gluten in most fruit salads to warrant that label/marketing strategy! Just like I said in my opening paragraph – if the average joe person is standing outside 2 stores and 1 advertises something that true of both stores' meat…they're probably going to pick that store with the "ANTIBIOTIC FREE CHICKEN" because the other store surely has antibiotics in their chicken! I knew nothing about beef production until I researched this post…it doesn't take long to be an informed consumer and do some critical thinking!
My issue is not really the hormone thing, but the importing. Why not find producers that use alternative methods of winter feeding (bale grazing, swath grazing, grazing corn) in Canada that can provide the lean beef that can be blended with the feedlot fats? There is an opportunity to tell a story of a diverse and changing industry in Canada -the industry that needs traditional feedlot cattle and grass fed ones as well. It can tell the story of how all kinds of cattlemen can contribute to a successful burger chain.
Interestingly, I found some research papers that show that Angus cattle (what the Canadian supplier uses) have higher levels of Progesterone (one of the added hormones) than other breeds -so a natural hormone is ok as long as it is elevated through traditional breeding and management, but is not ok if it is injected?
Thanks for the great comment! I think a lot of companies/brands are using this form of advertising to reach out to the 'average' consumer who doesn't care to research or dig a bit deeper into what these labels and campaigns actually mean. Someone brought up on the Twitter feed that 3 oz of potatoes contains more hormones than 3 oz of beef. These foods are rigorously tested and researched before they hit the market…I find it so discouraging that A&W is playing on the fear of the ill-informed consumer – there is nothing wrong or unsafe about beef produced with growth promoters and their campaign of "better beef" states otherwise to me.
I'm amazed that they didn't find a way to slide in "GMO's" somehow. After all, if you're going to mislead the public, you may as well use the current favourite term that's getting an undeserved bad rap. Heck, why not even throw in a mention of Monsanto while they're at it!
The problem with that is the feedlot they use for the beef in Alberta says on their website that they use corn silage. Any money that it is Roundup Ready corn since that is where the short season silage hybrids come from. Most likely DDGs from corn based ethanol are also used in the ration. I highly doubt they want to bring in GMOs in light of that!
Oh you'd be surprised (or not!) at how often GMOs get thrown into any conversation! Actually on the A&W Facebook page someone asked if they use GMO corn to feed their cows…I think if people are that concerned about GMOs…they should probably avoid fast food altogether!
Talk about GMO's If you don't know anything about the dangers of GMO food then you should keep your mouth shut.
Hi Phyl,
I have written about GMOs extensively, I'm not sure what this has to do with A&W? You can read what I've written here, and if you do come back, please comment respectfully. http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/2013/08/gm-foods/
Well said Sarah, and also well said with the other side Songberry. My bigger issue is that A&W is choosing to use US and Aussie beef over all Canadian, when I'm quite sure they could source it all here. I also have an issue with the fact that they defended this poorly in twitter streams … obvious their tweeters were using canned talking points they didn't really understand. My ag money? Not to A&W unless they come out with some changes to this campaign. Pity. I love their root beer. But I vote with my wallet.
Thanks, Allison. I think when A&W says they have "better beef" – which is the title of their new website promoting this hormone free beef – it implies that, as they say, the beef is better. I prefer to support the Canadian economy and the Canadian producers and yes – it was handled very poorly in their Twitter streams which was the big motivator for me to blog about this. I, like you, vote with my wallet 🙂
Thanks for your work to enlighten people.
Thanks for the comment, Nils!
Hi Sarah,
I've seen the Chipotle and Panera ads, and I honestly don't think this piece even belongs in the same category. A&W is simply telling consumers about the beef they use; unlike the other campaigns, I don't see any evidence of them disparaging other products or trying to scare people into buying their brand. They recognize that there's a segment of the market with concerns about these issues, and they're trying to serve that market. They're not saying "unlike evil burger chains who source from all those unethical and unsustainable farmers, we only source from sustainable and ethical farmers" – they're simply telling people about where their beef comes from. And instead of using a scary image of a big needle or a cartoon of a "steroid-enhanced" cow, they chose a nice landscape – again, I don't see the fear-mongering. As you state in your post, there's room for more than one way to produce beef here – but if they can't tell us how their way is different, how can they market it to people who want it? (By the way, I never saw A&W use the word "more" in front of sustainable or ethical – as far as I can tell, you put those words in their mouth).
Look at is this way: If you were to refer to your own farm as sustainable, would you expect all your neighbours to take offence because that must mean that you're implying that they are unsustainable? Or should Americans living in Canada take offence that McDonald's uses Canadian beef – are they saying that American beef is bad? Of course not – they're telling people about their product, attempting to appeal to the (hopefully large) market segment that cares about supporting Canadian beef.
It's a shame that A&W isn't sourcing all their beef from Canada. But maybe it's because they can't source enough to meet their specifications. Which would suggest that instead of taking affront, Canadian farmers should be taking advantage – assessing the challenges and opportunities, and finding a way to meet the market demand.
I do not support fear-based marketing (see http://t.co/TTwS4HNdTf ), but if we're going to take offence every time a company makes an attempt to differentiate their product with a basic description of what is or isn't inside, or how it's produced, we've reached a sad state of affairs. In my opinion, we should save our outrage for the truly outrageous (i.e. Chipotle) and enjoy our root beer with a clear conscience!
I have to say that BetterBeef is saying it is not just a different product, but a "better product"
Hey Rob,
Thanks for taking the time to read, comment, and share this post. I don't think that A&W hits the same "scare" factor as Chipotle, but they are still using fear as a means to market. I believe that it gets the consumer thinking 'hormones?! I don't want to eat hormones in my beef!" when hormones are naturally occurring in beef, plants, humans! I guess I'm reading between the lines of this campaign and as I stated in this post "you are lead to assume" which is what I'm doing. Perhaps I am wrong, but this is my take on it. You're right, A&W didn't say they are "more" ethical or sustainable in those exact quotes from the campaign, but you have to read their Twitter feed to get the full picture on this blog post.
The fact that their new website is literally called "A&W Better Beef – Better Beef for a Better Burger" would lead the consumer to think that A&W claims to have the "better beef" and thus implies that other restaurants use "worse", "sub-par", "not as good", whatever antonym you prefer to use, beef, and the ways that beef is produced is also worse, sub-par, etc. Also claiming "hormone-free = better beef". They also claim on their site the cattle they use is "raised right". I now they don't specifically stated "the other guys raise them wrong", it's what the consumer (at least this consumer) is lead to believe.
I like to support the Canadian economy by buying Canadian produced-food. I avoid buying imported food as much as I possibly can and would choose to spend my fast food dollars at McDonald's who does use 100% Canadian beef to A&W who uses only some Canadian beef. Didn't you just tweet the other day to go support your local farmers at the farmers' markets? 😉 I know you also did state it's a shame A&W isn't sourcing more Canadian beef…but I wasn't aware this was a big concern of Canadian fast food goers. I would love to see some of the research, polling, etc. that got A&W to make this decision, I had no idea such a movement was even in the works…didn't hear about it in the news at all, etc.
I'm not one to be offended easily and nit-pick at every little thing, but this being relevant to Canadian agriculture, and the uproar it caused among beef producers on Twitter was enough for me to address on my blog.
Hi Sarah,
I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I do understand the point you (and others) have made about the use of the term "better." There could certainly be a problematic element to this, but personally, I would only object if they went out of their way to make negative comments about other beef, other burgers, other methods of production, which I don't think they've done. My sense is that most consumers are pretty used to claims of "better" and a whole slew of similar comparatives in advertising, and as a result, they don't automatically believe bad things about the competition. I also remember a marketing speaker telling a group of us, "if you don't believe what you're doing is better, why are you doing it?" Would you expect A&W to use cattle they thought were "raised wrong"?
I think it's a real challenge to communicate passion and belief in the choices you make in a positive way; it's a fine line that Chipotle and Panera have crossed in a big way, but not A&W, in my opinion. From what I've seen of their Twitter feed, they were simply out of their depth on the issue, though they seem to be learning through the interaction!
Like you, I'd definitely be more inclined to support a chain that sourced 100% Canadian – I think that's a much larger market segment than hormone-free, so it would certainly be interesting to see some data on that. They do state that they source Canadian as much as possible, so I would certainly hope that Canadian producers will take advantage of this opportunity!
I'm glad that you felt the need to address this on your blog – I think you've sparked an interesting and important discussion!
I guess at the end of the day it's a business and it's about marketing their product in the way that's going to get them the most bang for their buck. For me, as Allison commented, I'm going to vote with my wallet 🙂 Thanks again, and interested to continue along with others in this conversation as well.
Do you think any gains from "hormone, steroid and antibiotic free" beef will be negated by the admission of importing beef? I think they could have done all this without needing to import anything.
I guess, from what I've read on their Twitter feed, they couldn't source enough in Canada and had to go to the States & Australia. And just to clarify – they don't claim to be antibiotic free 🙂
That is true about the A&W beef (though how many ranchers just splash their antibiotics all over the place?), but the Premium line from the Canadian supplier does claim to be antibiotic free. Which is how I got around to their admission of imported beef on Twitter.
But, this brings up a different scenario. The supplier's website states in a roundabout way that if the cattle in the Premium stream do need any antibiotics, they are then removed from that stream (perhaps these are where the 'only therapeutic antibiotic treated' A&W cattle come from). So, if you are capturing a higher dollar per pound with this Premium stream vs the regular market, would you not wait a day or two before treating such an animal if they become sick? Rather than treating in what would be an industry standard length of time, I sure would be tempted to 'see if they come around on their own' for a little longer if we are talking about an extra few cents per pound.
Is this truly humane?
I was never a big fan of A&W to begin with, cause anyone that has to put that much condiment on their food is obviously not doing something right anyway. But now to do an ad campaign like that well it's just sad. Like you said I'll just stick with Macdonalds
It's never been my first choice for fast food, I've always loved their root beer, but I'm losing faith fast in companies/brands who use this type of advertising!
Thank you for this post. I really dislike the misleading advertising but what I dislike even more is that only one of the three suppliers of this new A&W beef is Canadian. The other beef is coming form Montana and Australia. Way to support our country's farmers. http://www.crystalcattle.com
My recent post Rivini Wedding Dresses and Hereford Heifers
Thanks for reading, Crystal! I'm starting to pay more and more attention about misleading advertising and I'm not a fan and I'm starting to lose a lot of respect for companies/brands who choose to do this!
That sux they're going down that road with their advertising but ill probably still eat there now & then. Other than Wendy's, A&W burgers are my favourite. As well as their chicken burgers, strips etc.
Yeah I'm not going to start a "boycott A&W" movement. That's up to each individual consumer to decide, but for me, I really value marketing standards the more and more I look into it, so for me it's no more! 🙂
Their burgers aren't that great. I worked in a plant that made the patties. Without all the salt they throw on top, they are pretty blah.