I saw this caption on my milk bottle this morning and it got me thinking back. It’s 2008, I am working with Peter Jones Entrepreneurs and listening to an awesome guest speaker. She is talking economics and consumer behaviour and has everyone clinging on the edge of her seat. Seriously!
The fundamentals of the talk are about how the global population is going to become increasingly nomadic. The world is going to become a smaller place. Pretty obvious. But the outstanding claim is that individual economies and micro-economies are going to withdraw. Consumers are going to become interested in buying local and supporting local economies.
Before you read on. No. This is NOT a Brexit discussion! But where does my milk come into all this?
Rewind another 11 years and I am indeed a local milk lad! Getting up at 04:30am to deliver milk to hundreds of houses. I was always taught to work hard and earned my own crust from the age of 13. I worked with my local milkman and farmer for 6 years or so and loved it.
In that time I saw the size of his milk round decline massively. People switched on to the fact they could buy massive cartons of milk at cheaper rates on their weekly big shop!
Despite the fact this local businessman, passionate about his produce was producing a far superior product and service, people left him.
Fast-forward back to 2008 and the £270 million pound Price Fixing Scandal acted as a catalyst to show people just how big a business this was to the economy. Today just 3% of people have milk delivered to their doorstep by our dedicated milk-women and milkmen but it is back on the increase….
So why is a guy who owns a Marketing Agency ranting on about Milk? Two reasons really.
Firstly; The very clever woman that I listened to in 2008 had predicted what we have seen in the last 10 years. In-fact later that year the milk scandal and banking crisis started some stepped changes in consumer perception. Don’t believe me? Just look at the way some of the biggest brands have harked back to their local roots and bygone brand stories to re-engage consumers.
Being able to step back, analyse data and predict consumer behaviour is one of the most fascinating things about working in Marketing.
Secondly; As consumers continue to move towards local, quality produce there are significant opportunities for local businesses to affirm their brand and realise new potential within their offering. There is a natural inclination to shop local. If that’s you and you want to know how to strategise this then please just get in touch.
Im off for another cuppa! With proper milk! Cheers
Want to find your local milkman check here: http://www.findmeamilkman.net/
