With the Help of Social Media Hungry Yogurt Fans, Stonyfield Wins Justmeans Social Innovation Award
Londonderry NH (June 6, 2012) – Stonyfield, the world’s leading organic yogurt company, has been awarded the 2012 Justmeans Social Innovation Award for Best Use of New Media. Stonyfield was recognized for its year-long Organic Stories social media theme, which included three dedicated new media campaigns designed to educate and get people talking about organic food and farming.
Stonyfield’s Organic Stories social media campaigns included as the innovative Grant a Farmer’s Wish, a Facebook application that introduced consumers to organic farmers; the ‘Just East Organic’ music video, featuring Stonyfield Co-Founder and Chairman Gary Hirshberg rapping about organic; and The Organic Moment, a visual and interactive digital platform for people to share personal stories about what organic means to them. These social media campaigns, which aim to engage as well as educate consumers, reinforce the Stonyfield mission: healthy food, healthy people, healthy planet.
Since 2009, Justmeans awards global leaders in the business and nonprofit sectors who confront issues by implementing groundbreaking strategies and programs that drive social and environmental responsibility and innovation.
"Without our social media fans, these campaigns would simply be informational. Our fans are hungry for more than that. They want to have a meaningful conversation," says Amy VanHaren, Stonyfield’s Social Media Manager. "Our team humbly recognizes that the success of our social media campaigns is very dependent on our consumers and fans, and their eagerness to learn more about organic and where their food comes from."
Stonyfield certainly knows how to satisfy their fans’ appetites. The company’s latest campaign, Know Your Food, joins consumers on a farm-to-fridge journey, offering tools and resources along the way. Stonyfield isn’t the only one doing the teaching though. The company’s fans have effectively shaped Stonyfield’s social media content through their posts.
"Through Facebook, we have developed a relationship with our fans. It has become a community. It is a place to discuss serious issues like genetically engineered crops, but also a place to share the everyday joys of a healthy lifestyle," explains Amy VanHaren.
Stonyfield’s campaign successes can be attributed to this engaged community of yogurt eaters. The ‘Grant a Farmer’s Wish’ campaign relied on fans to watch video stories from farmers and vote to help Stonyfield award funding for innovative organic farming projects that have a positive environmental impact and improve the long-term viability of organic farming. In the end, it was the Stonyfield social media community who chose the winner.
To experience Stonyfield’s use of social media, visit their Facebook pages for Stonyfield, Organic Oikos Greek Yogurt, and YoBaby Yogurt. Also find them on Twitter @Stonyfield.
Learn more about the Justmeans Social Innovation Awards at http://www.socialinnovationawards.com/.
About Stonyfield
Stonyfield, celebrating its 29th year, is the world's leading organic yogurt company. Its certified organic yogurt, smoothies, milk, cultured soy, frozen yogurt and ice cream are distributed nationally. The company advocates that healthy food can only come from a healthy planet. Its use of organic ingredients helps keep over 200,000 farm acres free of toxic, persistent pesticides and chemical fertilizers known to contaminate soil, drinking water and food. To help reduce climate change, Stonyfield offsets all of the CO2 emissions generated from its facility energy use. Stonyfield also donates $2 million of its yearly profits to efforts that help protect and restore the Earth. For more information about Stonyfield, its products and initiatives, visit www.stonyfield.com or follow Stonyfield on Twitter @Stonyfield, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/StonyfieldFarm.
