Milling & Baking News - June 15, 2004 - 18

H E A L T H

A N D

W E L L N E S S

Optimism, enthusiasm pervade
review of promotion program
Continued from Page 1
NAMA leadership, members of the
A.B.A. marketing committee, marketing research professionals from various
grain-based foods companies and a
representative from BEMA, a major supporter of the grain-based foods product
promotion initiative.
The three-hour meeting began with
a presentation by WirthlinWorldwide
Research, Reston, Va. Wirthlin has conducted research into consumer attitudes
toward grain-based foods. This presentation, characterized as a wrap-up report
on the agency's findings, was followed
by a presentation by Mullen, the Wenham, Mass.-based group that has drafted
a proposed public relations campaign.
"Mullen and Wirthlin have been exchanging information for the past several
weeks getting ready for meeting," said Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Faga, NAMA president.
"The Wirthlin information was helpful in
honing the message. Mullen presented
their proposed program based on their creative ideas and the Wirthlin research."
Paul C. Abenante, A.B.A. president
and chief executive officer, emphasized
the manner in which the research and
p.r. agencies worked together. "Mullen
and Wirthlin were extremely 'in sync' in
bringing together the final presentation,"
he said. "Mullen crafted a program to fit
hand in glove with the Wirthlin research,
both with the messaging and core strategies. In effect, the grain-based foods industry now has a program that is solidly
predicated on sound, scientific research."
The presentations were followed by
a smaller meeting of the oversight committee. Committee members present
at the meeting were Patrick Callaghan,
Pepperidge Farm, Inc., Norwalk, Conn.;
Joseph Schwebel, Schwebel Baking Co.,
Youngstown, Ohio; Phillip Strongin,
Cereal Food Processors, Inc., Mission
Woods, Kas.; and Don Brown, ConAgra
Foods, Inc., Omaha.
According to Ms. Faga, the group
discussed several administrative matters
related to the establishment of the Foundation for the Advancement of GrainBased Foods, the drafting of bylaws
and the election of a board of trustees.
"At this point, the committee is primarily focused on what could be termed
'process issues,'" Ms. Faga said. "We are
reviewing drafts of various documents,
working with attorneys."
But the heart of the meeting was the
Wirthlin and Mullen presentations and
the questions and observations from
those in attendance.
18 / Milling & Baking News, June 15, 2004

"I certainly thought there was a lot of enthusiasm in the room and a consensus that
the industry can't sit around any longer
and just watch consumption decline," Ms.
Faga said. "The campaign has the support
of all the participating organizations."
A.B.A. chairman Gary J. Prince also
commented on the enthusiastic response
to the p.r. program. "Questions of course
arose
around
certain
aspects
of the promotion
campaign," said
Mr. Prince, who
is president of
Weston
Foods,
Horsham,
Pa.
"Everyone went
away very enthusiastic. I certainly
Prince
did. The industry
participants felt
very good about what they saw."
While details of the pending program
are still largely being kept under wraps,
Mr. Prince noted that the program focuses
on the nutrition benefits of bread. "The
theme is that bread is essential, that bread
is good for you," he said. "It isn't attacking
any particular diet. It speaks to the health
aspects of the category, the necessity of
bread, the benefits of bread in the diet. I
think the program is very well done."
The program makes no mention of the
Atkins and other fad diets that have become the bane of grain-based foods. "It
doesn't focus on one diet or another, it's
focusing on the good-for-you qualities of
grain-based foods," Mr. Prince said.
The importance of effectively using the
product promotion funds has been a constant theme since the p.r. effort was first
conceived. John Gillcrist, NAMA chairman and president of Bartlett Milling Co.,
Kansas City, said
he spoke privately
at the meeting
on this subject
with Jean Statler,
a Wirthlin vicepresident.
"For
my own peace of
mind I asked Jean
directly, 'In the
absence of a proactive program, will Gillcrist
we continue to
see a decline in per capita consumption of
flour?,'" Mr. Gillcrist said. "She said, 'Our
research says it absolutely will continue to
decline.' That to me was pretty powerful.
"It's so great to see these groups come
together for a common goal. This pro-

gram will move forward."
Mr. Gillcrist and others were less
precise when asked exactly when the
program will move forward. "I'm still
hopeful that we will begin in late summer or early fall," he said.
While no more exact about when the
program would launch, Mr. Abenante said
"progress will be accelerating now" and a
clear timetable has been set for many important steps leading up to the launch:
June - The Foundation for the Advancement of Grain-Based Foods first
organizational meeting will be held.
July - Pledge forms will be mailed
to donors.
Aug. 1 - Bank accounts will be
opened by outside auditing firms and
sponsoring organizations will begin
transferring money into the foundation.
Aug. 16 - During the International
Baking Industry Exposition in Las Vegas, A.B.A. baker members will be invited to an association board meeting for
presentations by Wirthlin and Mullen. A
foundation logo will be unveiled.
No later than Sept. 1 - A president of
the foundation, the top paid staff position, will be named.
Papers seeking approval of the creation of the Foundation for the Advancement of Grain-Based Foods already have
been filed with the District of Columbia
government and the Internal Revenue
Service. Mr. Abenante said approval of
501c(6) status is anticipated shortly.
Mr. Prince expressed the hope that the
mounting enthusiasm about the pending
public relations program will translate
into attracting greater resources to it. "I
think that as an industry this is a great opportunity for us," he said. "The challenge
we have is the budget and funding. We
have to challenge ourselves to determine
what is an appropriate budget. Our $4
million is a starting point. We should be
setting our sights much higher than that.
"We are getting good support from our
partners, the millers, BEMA, A.I.B. etc.
People are looking at funding carefully, and
each company has to make its own decision. What I can tell you is that I will commit our organization (Weston) to this effort,
and I am going to increase my funding. I
think it's absolutely the right thing to do."
Mr. Abenante applauded Mr. Prince's
leadership. He explained, "We are still
asking bakers to consider giving 2½c
per cwt of flour use, but Gary is saying,
'Follow me. We really have a chance to
help this industry and consumer perception of grain-based foods turn around.'
When people see the research and the
opportunities we have during this critical time coupled with a very exciting p.r.
campaign, there is genuine optimism like
I have never seen before." MBN
bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

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Milling & Baking News - June 15, 2004

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