• By Stacey Gorman
Cotton Board Director of Communications •
“Forever Cotton” is The Cotton Board’s new, multi-faceted communication campaign aimed at cotton producers. The campaign demonstrates the many ways the Cotton Research and Promotion Program works on behalf of U.S. Upland cotton growers to bridge the gap between cotton on their farm and cotton in the following areas: cotton as a performance fabric; cottonseed oil as a trusted food source; and production practices for sustainability and stability on the farm.
Based in Memphis, Tennessee, The Cotton Board is the oversight and administrative arm of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program, representing Upland cotton. The board is responsible for providing the program with strategic leadership and oversight.
To fund the program, The Cotton Board collects a per-bale assessment on all U.S. Upland cotton harvested and ginned. It also gathers an assessment on the cotton content of all Upland cotton products imported into the United States. The board contracts with Cotton Incorporated to carry out the actual research and promotion activities for U.S. producers and cotton importers.
Inform Farmers And Importers
Cotton Incorporated is consumer and trade focused. The Cotton Board’s communication mission is to keep U.S. cotton producers and importers informed about the research and promotion done on their behalf to help increase the demand for and profitability of cotton.
A few years ago when the cotton market and acreage were down, the board ran the “Renew Your Faith in Cotton” campaign. This campaign highlighted cotton’s versatility in the marketplace and reminded the cotton growing community that the program was built for tough times and was working hard on their behalf.
In the years that followed, the market and acreage started increasing again, which is a testament to the resolve of both the fiber and the people who grow it. That campaign is over, but the story of the value the program brings to cotton growers continues.
A New Campaign Is Born
Forever Cotton is the next evolution of messaging from The Cotton Board to the cotton stakeholders who fund the program. It is a platform to illustrate what cotton means for producers, consumers and the families who make this industry possible.
This new campaign leads with stories, and the cotton industry has no shortage of amazing stories to tell. The Forever Cotton stories showcase the far-reaching effect the program has on everyday people by taking a deeper dive into those who wear cotton, cook with cottonseed oil and grow cotton. The campaign consists of videos, print ads, digital ads and social media content.
Through these communication tactics, The Cotton Board is offering the cotton growing community a unique, entertaining and immersive experience that helps them forge a positive, memorable association with the program and what it stands for.
The campaign provides a foundation from which to build and expand these stories to continue showcasing new, innovative ways cotton is being used in the market. It also shows how demand is increasing as a result of all our combined efforts.
Please visit www.cottonboard.org/forevercotton to watch the campaign videos and learn more about what the program is doing on behalf of the U.S. cotton industry.
To learn more, email Gorman at sgorman@cottonboard.org.