from: times-standard.com

“With Humboldt Creamery’s sale to Foster Farms Dairy expected to close today, concern is growing among the company’s cash-strapped dairy producers who say they likely won’t see another milk payment until October.

”I don’t know how we’re going to pay bills around here,” said creamery member and 35-year dairyman John Vevoda. “There’s real concern. This is real.”

Humboldt Creamery filed for bankruptcy protection in April, just two months after its former CEO Rich Ghilarducci abruptly resigned, alerting the company to inaccuracies in its financial records. An FBI investigation into allegations that Ghilarducci committed fraud is ongoing.

Earlier this month, Foster Farms Dairy agreed to purchase the company’s main assets in Fernbridge and Stockton for $19.5 million at a bankruptcy auction. The largest privately owned dairy in the state, with more than 5,000 cows spread across five dairies, Foster Farms Dairy intends to continue operating the creamery, and will reportedly buy milk from the area’s producers through Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), which held a 25 percent stake in the creamery.

But local dairymen’s concerns over the arrangement are growing. Specifically, it’s the arrangement for the purchasing of organic milk that they say is worrisome.”

Full Article Here

Here’s what I like about a new ad campaign from a company called Foster Farms.  A lot of food companies have tried to position themselves as a healthier alternative vs. their larger, industrialized competitors, using claims like ‘natural’ and ‘organic.’  Foster Farms actually takes the next step and provides the consumer with an actual benefit to them:  Foster Farms chickens aren’t “plumped” with saltwater that increases the chicken’s weight, so consumers aren’t paying as much as $1.50 per package for saltwater.  They’re just buying chicken.

The campaign is creative, and the message is spot on in an environment where consumers are taking a more critical look at how they are spending every dollar.  In fact, with more consumers cooking their own meals and fewer eating out at restaurants, the timing for this campaign is excellent as well.  Best of all, they’ve built social media into their campaign as well – including a Facebook page with more than 7,000 fans and a month-old Twitter account with 120 followers.  Considering that the people they are trying to reach are likely to be influencers, this is a smart move and gives them the a chance to help consumers build a stronger relationship with their brand.

With consumers taking a closer look at the foods they eat, as well as special interest groups trying to demonize mass food production practices (the movie Food Inc. is a good example), expect to see a lot more food and agriculture companies step up their own marketing efforts and look for ways to differentiate their products.

Author: Tom Flynn III

www.lessingflynn.com

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

from: contracostatimes.com

“Foster Farms Dairy of Modesto was the winning bidder for the main part of Humboldt Creamery’s business in a bankruptcy court auction Tuesday.

Humboldt Creamery interim CEO Len Mayer reported during a break in the proceedings at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Santa Rosa that, as expected, Foster Farms was the high bidder for the Fernbridge creamery and other related assets.

”We’ve reached agreement with Foster for the main business,” Mayer said.

The arrangement going into the proceedings was that Foster Farms would buy the business for $20.5 million — with a provision to adjust the price based on how much more or less than $10 million in working capital is on hand at the time of the deal. Whether that agreement was the one that went forward in court Tuesday was not known by press time.”

Full Story Here

There is no doubt that the late Staff Sgt. Darrell “Skip” Griffin was an American hero.   Darrell Griffin, Sr. went on to complete the book that he and his son intended to jointly write.   This is admirable, but I think the story would have been clearer in the hands of a professional writer.

There are too many citations to the thoughts of famous philosophers from Plato to Descartes, Nietzsche to de Tocqueville.   I wondered when the first reference to St. Augustine would appear (it comes on page 88).   I studied philosophy, yet I could not see the connection to the fighting in Iraq.   The high notions of philosophers do not seem to equate with the heavy-handedness of war.

Still, the portions of the book dealing with the war are strong.   This is the tale of a young man who died fighting a war that he was not sure was the right one.   As his father wrote to him, “We both love America, but you are man enough to prove it.”   Despite its flaws, this is a book worth reading.

Atlas and Co., $25.00, 304 pages

Reprinted courtesy of Sacramento Book Review.

Albertsons
Albertsons has doubles in today’s ad – so using those doubles you can get these items FREE or very cheap:

• Glaceau Smart Water $1 – $1/2 coupon (6.28 insert) doubled = 2 for FREE
• Super Pretzel $1 each – $75 cent coupon doubled = FREE (or only a 25 cents if you don’t double!)
• Propel water $1 – 55 cent hangtag doubled = FREE
• Kraft salad dressing $1.99 each – $1 coupon doubled = FREE
• Kraft barbeque dressing 99 cents – 50 cent coupon doubled = FREE
• Capri Sun Sunrise Fruit Drinks $2 – $1 coupon doubled = FREE
• Kraft mayonnaise $1.99 – $1 coupon doubled = FREE
• Dannon Activia $2 – $1 coupon doubled = FREE
• El Monterey Tornados $2 – $1 coupon doubled = FREE

Although not FREE, these are still great deals:

• Spray n Wash Trigger or Stain Stick $1.99 – 50 cent coupon doubled = $1
• Darigold Cottage Cheese $1.99 – 40 cent doubled = $1.20 each (although they are on sale for 99 cents with in ad coupon at Thriftway stores)
• Dole Canned Pineapple $1 – $1/3 coupon doubled = 3 cans for $1
• Dozen Large Eggs $1
• Peaches and Nectarines $1/lb

I think that’s it for Albertsons. I can’t believe all the free stuff they’ve been offering after doubles. It’s crazy and I think the deals are even better than when they accepted competitors coupons.

TOP Foods
Here are some decent deals at TOP Foods this week:

• Haggen Pan Bread 97 cent (with in-ad coupon, limit 1)
• Haggen Bacon $1.77 each (with in-ad coupon, limit 1)
• Darigold Butter $1.77 each (with in ad coupon, limit 1) – 40 cent coupon = $1.37 each (great price!)
• Fresh Express Salad mix $1Hunt’s Tomatoes 28 ounce (big cans) for $1 each (I just paid $1.67 this week for these at Albertsons, so this is a much better deal. Great for making homemade spaghetti.)

Safeway
Safeway deals of the week:

• Foster Farms Lean Ground Turkey $2.49 (with in-ad coupon)
• 2-Liter Dr. Pepper .49 cents (with in-ad coupon)
• Skippy Peanut Butter $1.49 – 40 cent coupon = $1.09
• John Morrell Smoked Sausage $1.99 – $1 coupon (from displays, I got mine at Albertsons) = 99 cents
• Nestley Pure Life Water $2.99 – $1 blinkie coupon = $1.99 (must buy 5)

I think that’s it for now. . .if you know of any other deals, let me know!

from: times-standard.com

“Foster Farms Dairy would buy Humboldt Creamery’s Fernbridge and Stockton facilities for at least $20.5 million if it’s the winning bidder in an August auction.

A motion in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Santa Rosa filed Tuesday outlines the creamery’s proposed bidding procedures for its main assets and identifies a $300,000 fee that would be paid to Foster Farms if it’s outbid. Foster Farms may also adjust the price it pays depending on whether there is the estimated $10 million in working capital on hand when the sale goes through.”

Full Story Here

from: thepoultrysite.com

“‘Plumping’ – or injecting fresh chicken with useless saltwater that costs shoppers their money and health – is giving consumers and experts plenty to squawk about.

The issue is gaining steam with a Los Angeles Times article which quotes national experts including the American Heart Association and New York University’s Marion Nestle decrying “hidden salt in chicken.”

Consumers who have learned of this little known practice are turning to social media to express their dissatisfaction. As part of its ‘Say No To Plumping’ consumer awareness campaign, Foster Farms, the West’s leading poultry producer, has launched a new online resource (http://www.saynotoplumping.com) for consumers who are concerned about saltwater-injected or ‘plumped’ fresh chicken and want to learn more. Foster Farms does not inject its fresh poultry products labelled ‘100% Natural’.”

Full Story Here

That may be because they’ve had the equivalent of a boob job. “Plumping”— or the injecting — of fresh, raw chicken with up to 15% saltwater is a practice employed by many chicken companies. Most consumer don’t realize it’s happening and are paying the price – more than $2 billion a year for such fresh chicken and getting salt water. The chicken is also unhealthy - containing up to eight times the amount of salt per serving — about 370 milligrams of sodium versus 45 milligrams, in a four-ounce serving of skinless, boneless chicken breast. And, because of a loophole in current USDA labelling laws, brands that plump their poultry may still label their chicken as “100% Natural” or “All-Natural”. 
Buyer beware. Look at labels and compare. There are good companies out there. Foster Farms, a chicken processing company that doesn’t plump-up their chicken,  has released the results of a new survey, indicating that 63.1% of consumers are largely unaware of the hidden salt in many poultry brands and felt deceived after learning about it.

Among the survey findings:

- Despite the fact that 71.3% of consumers try to watch their sodium intake at least some of the time, many consumers are still unaware of some of the “fine print” in product labels, even for USDA-labeled “100% Natural,” minimally-processed foods like chicken.

- 85.9% of consumers surveyed did not realize that a serving of some brands’ fresh, raw chicken could contain more salt per serving than a large order of french fries.

-74.5% of consumers believe fresh chicken labelled as “natural” should contain no additives or preservatives; 82.4% believe that fresh chicken carrying the “natural” label should not be injected with saltwater.
- Upon learning that the saltwater in injected chicken could cost them nearly $1.50 per package2, 69.2% of consumers felt deceived and 37.2% felt angry.

- After learning about “plumping,” 70.7% will change the way they shop for fresh chicken: 85.4% will read nutrition labels and avoid saltwater-injected chicken, while 71.7% vowed to warn a friend.

Foster Farms has launched a new online resource, where consumers can learn more about plumping and take action.

http://www.worldpoultry.net/news/foster-farms-launches-consumer-awareness-campaign-3923.html
http://www.cpif.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=137
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/video-hub/food/saving-money/plumped-up-poultry/16845801001/1587942485/

It’s about time for some great news for a change!

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20090508/UPDATES01/90508053?GID=HtXbNItvZDwAq4wUd5F5dfWXd9Q8NTtfTvwd1Zn441Y%3D

It looks like the presidential message during Univision’s Premios lo Nuestro on March 26 was not the only new thing going on at the awards ceremony. Several companies took advantage of the highly-rated to program to showcase their newest creative work targeting U.S. Hispanics. Here’s the most recent spot for Foster Farms, warning Latino consumers about a ’salty deception.’

The Foster Imposters campaign was originally created in 1993 by Godby, Silverstain & Partners with the Imposters appearing in more than 25 commercials in Spanish and English. In 2006, Grupo Gallegos adapted the original concept and developed a creative campaign specifically for the Latino market.

Client: Foster Farms

Agency: Grupo Gallegos

The following ad, hailing from Long Beach, Calif.-based Grupo Gallegos was a finalist at Cannes 2008.

Agency: Grupo Gallegos, USA

Creative Director: Favio Ucedo

Associate Creative Director: Martin Cerri

Copywriters: Rodrigo Trevio, Edgar Hernandez

Art Director: Andres Munera

Agency Producer: Valeria Maldini

Production Company: Flip Films

Executive Producer: Adrian Castagna

Producer: Leda Nasio

Director: Nicolas Kasakoff

Director: Sebastian Schor

Director of Photography: Leandro Filloy

My oldest son and I had an interesting conversation during lunch today.

9 year old, as he’s eating his corndog: Mom, what’s Foster Farms?

Me: It’s a place that raises chickens.

9 year old: Oh.  They must be good to the chickens.

Me (not wanting to explain the truth): I don’t know if they are.

9 year old: I think they are because they’re foster farms.  That means they take good care of chickens who don’t have any mommies or daddies.

Kids.  Gotta love ‘em.

It was station owner Arthur Carlson who uttered those words on the historic Thanksgiving episode of WKRP in Cincinnati.  I don’t think all the chefs at Food Network could fix that Thanksgiving disaster.  Well, if you have a problem or questions about turkeys then check this out:

FOSTER FARMS TO RESCUE COOKS FROM TURKEY DAY MISHAPS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH ANNUAL TURKEY HELPLINE AND WEB RESOURCES
Consumers count on Foster Farms’ on-call poultry professionals, 24-hour hotline, online tutorials for preparation tips and last-minute help preparing their Thanksgiving centerpiece.

LIVINGSTON, Calif. – How do you stuff and roast the perfect turkey, drum up delicious gravy, or even grill your bird this Thanksgiving holiday? Foster Farms answers these questions and many more with its free, around-the-clock Turkey Helpline (1-800-255-7227) and expanded informational Web site (www.fosterfarms.com).

In addition to serving up fool-proof turkey tips, this year’s helpline offers hints to help consumers savor the season with expert holiday entertaining advice and delicious traditional recipes for everything from the centerpiece turkey to pumpkin pie, as well as many low fat and low-carb dishes to please health-conscious guests.

In what has become a celebrated annual tradition, Foster Farms turkey meal specialists will take to the phones in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving Day, November 27, providing thousands of home chefs with inspiring recipes, time-tested cooking advice and consumer safety guidelines.

From November 19 to December 1, including Thanksgiving Day, the Foster Farms Turkey Helpline may be accessed 24-hours a day, seven days a week by calling (800) 255-7227. The Turkey Helpline is staffed by live operators and provides consumers with tips to help make their turkey dinners a success. Prior to November 19 and after December 1, the Foster Farms Turkey Helpline is available Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PST. Online self-help resources are available at www.fosterfarms.com year-round.

Last year, nearly 3,000 consumers contacted the Foster Farms Turkey Helpline throughout the holiday season. Even more consumers are turning to the company Web site at www.fosterfarms.com, where site visits increase exponentially each day as Thanksgiving Day draws closer.

“Preparing a top-notch holiday meal for family and friends can rattle even experienced cooks. Fortunately, our experts know what to do in any turkey dinner situation,” says Teresa Lenz, Foster Farms’ consumer affairs manager. “We have helped tens of thousands of families over the years at every stage of the process, from meal planning, to grocery shopping, to last-minute emergencies.”

The Foster Farms Turkey Helpline and Web site address common questions and provide holiday meal suggestions, thawing times, roasting and basting techniques, cooking instructions, servings-per-pound calculations, step-by-step carving instructions, nutritional information, food safety tips and even ideas for making the most of leftovers.

Foster Farms also offers consumers a free holiday brochure with time-tested tips, techniques and recipes. The brochure is available by request at (800) 255-7227.

“Our team can even help with less traditional Thanksgiving plans,” adds Lenz. “For example, we’ve noticed that a growing number of people want a grilled turkey at Thanksgiving, so we’re offering grilling information and suggestions for cooks who crave that smoky flavor.”

Foster Farms’ fresh turkey offerings include Whole Young Turkey for traditional roasts, Young Turkey Breasts for shorter cooking times and guest lists, and pre-marinated Savory Servings® Turkey for no-fuss family dinners. For households hosting smaller feasts or who want to host an encore turkey meal inspired by Thanksgiving later in the year, Foster Farms’ Savory Servings pre-marinated Turkey Tenderloins are the perfect turkey choice.

-30-
About Foster Farms
Foster Farms whole turkeys are locally grown, raised cage-free and 100% natural without added hormones, steroids, salt, chemicals or artificial taste enhancers.  Foster Farms’ Turkey Helpline helps thousands of home chefs each year, with more than 2,000 calls usually taking place on Thanksgiving Day alone.

Founded by Max and Verda Foster in 1939, Foster Farms continues today as a family-owned and operated company. Foster Farms ready to cook, fresh chicken is all natural with no preservatives or sodium-based additives. For more than 70 years, families in the Western United States have trusted Foster Farms for the highest quality, locally raised, fresh chicken.

Editor’s Note: For high-resolution photography, recipes and tips from Foster Farms experts, please contact Karmina Zafiro at 415.392.1000 or kzafiro@finemanpr.com.

*****************************************************************************************************************

And now, one of the funniest scenes in television history:

Peace out, my gobblers.

It’s finally here! The recipe you’ve asked for and, as a bonus gift of healthy eating goodness, the recipe for Skillet Supreme Pizza Pasta.

Whole-Grain Dijon Mustard Chicken

Ingredients: Olive oil, whole-wheat flour, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, 1 T. plus 1 t. whole-grain Dijon mustard (I use Grey Poupon’s harvest coarse ground), and 4 thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets (you can also use chicken strips).

Instructions: (1) In a large, nonstick skillet heat oil over medium to medium-high heat. (2) Mix flour, salt and pepper on a plate, lightly coat the chicken breasts with the mixture and place in heated skillet. Brown on each side, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a chicken to a plate, turn down heat. (3) Pour in chicken broth and add mustard, scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook for a minute or two to slightly thicken the sauce. Add chicken back to the pan and toss it around to coat with sauce. (4) Eat it all up because oh. my. goodness. it is GOOD and it is good for you! Did you know that mustard seeds are loaded with phytonutrients? Yup! No, not sure what they are, but I bet they are good for you!

My side dishes: My nearest and most hungry, Marty, loves mushrooms and spinach sauteed in olive oil. I add a half tablespoon of butter for added goodness. And my favorite rice from a box is bought at Safeway, it’s their Eating Right brand – American Basmati Brown & Wild Rice Blend. If there is only two of you (the box has 4 servings) this rice keeps very well in the fridge for a day or two.

Skillet Supreme Pizza Pasta

Ingredients: 1 pkg. Barilla Plus Rotini pasta, 1 pkg Foster Farms Italian Turkey Sausage, one handful diced green pepper, two handfuls diced sweet onion, 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes, lots of fresh baby spinach, Gourmet Garden Seasoning Herb Pastes: Thai trio of garlic, basil and chili pepper, 4 oz. Athenos Feta crumbled with basil and tomato, 2 cups 2% shredded Mozzarella cheese.

Instructions: (1) Cook pasta according to instructions. (2) While pasta cooks, cook your Italian turkey sausage according to directions, then take out of pan and place on a place to slice into 1/4″ slices. (3) Over medium heat, saute onion and green pepper in the same pan for a 3 or 4 minutes, then add a whole mini tube of Gourmet Garden basil, 1/2 tube each of garlic and chili pepper and saute for another minute. (4) Throw in the can of tomatoes and the spinach. Toss and heat until the spinach is wilted. (5) Add the Italian turkey sausage slices back into the pan (if you still have any left – I slice two, eat one, slice three, eat one, slice two, toss one to the dogs) and stir in the feta cheese. (6) I have a large, deep nonstick skillet that I can throw into the oven, so I just add my pasta to the skillet, stir and top with the mozzarella cheese then bake until the cheese is melted. If you do not have such a pan, you can toss this whole mixture into a 13 x 9 pan to bake. But be careful not to let it sit in the oven too long or you will dry out your pasta!

More on Gourmet Garden Herbs & Spices: Sold in the US, Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand and much of Europe, to find a local store go HERE. These herbs and spices in a tube make my life so much easier – and more tasty and wonderful. No more peeling and chopping garlic or ginger. You don’t have to worry about your basil being fresh or chili pepper sauce tasting old. It’s all fresh and tasty and ready to squeeze into your favorite dish!

“To insure good health: Eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.” -William Londen

Parodie van Foster Farms op de bekende Dove Evolution commercial.

So I haven’t blogged for a while. The 100% raw food lasted about 9 days but I’m still about half raw and running almost daily so I’m feeling great.

On to FrankenFarms… I mean Foster Farms.  Let me share my experience with discovering how insanely cruel this company (and all animal agriculture companies) are.

Our flock of chickens dwindled down to half a dozen and I wanted a few more. We are vegan and don’t eat the eggs. Every chicken that lives at our house lives a very lucky life indeed. I knew that I couldn’t go to the feed store because of course I’m not going to support the egg facilities so I looked on Craigslist, hoping to find someone who was going to get rid of some “useless” old egg layers and I could take them off their hands and let them finish out their lives in peace, right?

Well, I found a post titled ‘meat birds’ and contacted the guy. He wanted $5 a bird and there were 12 of them. Turns out he was a Future Farmer’s of America student at the high school and he raised these birds, they were all of 8 weeks old and ready for slaughter. The whole situation was very strange. I do live on an acre in the country but have limits on the amount of birds and didn’t want to upset my neighbors with crowing so I’m on the phone with him trying to figure out if they’re all hens and I’m sure he’s just thinking what the heck do you care if they’re hens or not? They’re for eating!

So anyway, I come home with 11 BIG white baby birds. I say they were babies but these guys were HUGE, bigger than my smaller hens we already had. I really had no concept of what a FF chicken would look like until I brought them home. So we took care of our “babies”, my kids taught them how to find bugs and we fell in love with them. Initially, we couldn’t get them away from the grain feeder, they ate like maniacs. They didn’t act like normal chickens at all, they only had eyes for their food. It was really crazy to watch. They wouldn’t willingly walk away from the food and water.

After a while, as they gained weight RAPIDLY, I realized that I needed to encourage them to get exercise and do things aside from eating. I went to the local feedstore (shows you how much I knew back then. As though the feed store was going to really know how to keep these birds alive and healthy) and she informed me that “broilers” would eat themselves to death and that there was nothing I could to to stop it. She also suggested that I go and adopt myself a dog from the animal shelter and donate these chickens to the local food bank. Yes sure, because I spent $40 to rescue these birds only to give them to the local food bank. I was extremely annoyed with the insinutation that I was selfish to keep these birds and that if I really cared about humanity, I would have them slaughtered. Don’t you just love the irony of that?

So I did some of my own research. I discovered that these poor birds were ‘designed’ to gain weight rapidly. In fact, so rapidly that they developed heart problems, could not hold their own weight under their legs and suffered from all kinds of maladies.

I had a very hard time finding information on these issues because generally these birds just don’t live beyond 2 months of age. The few accounts I could find of broilers health issues were at places like Farm Sanctuary and I learned that these birds most likely would be dead by 5 to 6 months of age. It hit me like a ton of bricks what our society was doing to these helpless animals. I came home and just sat by the coop and watched them eat and eat and eat and I cried and cried and cried. Then I got mad.

I reduced their grain by at least 50%, combined it with whole corn and massive amounts of raw scraps from my kitchen. Sometimes not even scraps but fresh whole berries, avocados and seeds. It was an adjustment for them and at first they resisted eating anything but the grain. We took them out of the coop and closed it so they would be forced to walk around and explore their new territory. They became so completely attached to us. It was so hilarious to see them when I would come walking down the slope of our hill toward their favorite resting spots. They would get up and start flapping and running toward me. Their ill proportioned bodies would come clumsily toward me, swaying and limping along… but they did run.

I did get some curious looks and comments when telling people about our birds. Why would I want to spend all that money on feeding these birds? Why didn’t I just eat them? DUH, that one’s obvious! Couldn’t I see that they were suffering more living with me than if I just killed them? It is true that they suffered… but I was not about to take the blame for what Foster Freaking Farms did to them. They did develope pulmonary edema. The fluid around their hearts became so enlarged that it sometimes nearly dragged on the ground.

One by one, they succumbed to heat stroke, heart attack and other unknown ailments. We buried them, said a prayer and whispered our good-byes to them. Some suffered so much in the end that I did take them to the vet to be put down humanely. The vet workers were sometimes polite. I knew the the least I could do for these birds was give them a trip to the vet in an air-conditioned car, some soft straw and their favorite treat of cantaloupe seeds in a tupperware lid next to them.

The hardest one to watch go was Ace. Ace loved the ladies (hens) but as he grew to a nearly whopping twenty pounds, I had to keep him either confined in the coop while the ladies roamed the yard or vice versa. He was so heavy that he injured the hens trying to mate and eventually I’m sure he would have just broken their backs. So, one morning I went down to the coop to let the birds out and Ace didn’t get up to greet me like usual. On closer inspection, I could see that Ace *couldn’t* get up. His tired legs just gave out under him. He could spin himself in a circle but that was it. I gave him a waterer and some favorite treats right next to him and sat to pet him. In his state, he couldn’t harm the hens so I opened the entire coop up and his ladies came to see him. It was so bittersweet. He could finally have his ladies near him and they rested in the warm morning sun together, so sad that the only thing that could bring him closer to his natural state of being surrounded by his hens was his crippled state.  He actually tucked his little head under my chin at the vet right before he was called back.

Today, we are left with one Foster Farms rooster. Chochie has made it to the ripe old age of seven months and I can see that he is on his last legs, literally. It’s ironic that in the beginning, I was so concerned about having several roosters crowing and upsetting my neighbors but in the end, most of them didn’t live long enough to crow effectively. I like to think that these birds have made good ambassadors of veganism. I know a few people who don’t feel the same way about chicken meat and eggs now and that’s a good thing. What’s so sad to me though is how hidden this is. Even I, a serious animal right activist, didn’t have any idea of what a broiler chicken really was.

I’ll end with a couple pictures of these special guys.

This first one was a weigh-in. We stopped weighing for a while. This was at the height of my mission to keep them healthy.

I can’t seem to find anymore outdoor shots but this was an indoor photo shoot I did with my daughter.

I’ve been putting off telling their story because it depresses me so much. I’ve been up since 4 this morning, unable to sleep so I thought it was a good time. And now at 6, with my chickens chatting up a storm and my last “broiler” boy crowing, I’ll end it.

Dove’s spots are causing ripples. If a 30 second spot or couple minutes of video can get people talking about a brand, then, the brand has won. People talk about Dove. Chat rooms, news casts, forums, and social networks have covered the Dove spots. Evolution caused a stir—world wide. 

Dove’s success, or really any big brands’ success can lead to other brand’s being creatively influenced. Of course, the creative concept has to be spectacular enough to cause a stir in the first place. I’m a fan of “creative influenced” spots because I think they are effective. References to successful* campaigns give the brain a memory jolt which is perfect for sneaking a new brand’s message into the brain. Whether it’s publicly, preferably any media outlet with decent volume and/or traffic would be great, in “the break room”, or through the social life of the internet, these are all brand connections. On any scale. Five new people exposed to a brand is five more than they had before.

Spend a lot of time at work? Me, too. “The break room” is the best place for people to talk about brands.  There’s always a break room, or social gathering hub where there’s high traffic, coffee, and the beauty of social interaction between mixed demographics. Face to face. Imagine how many times people talk about something they saw the night before or a video someone sent them to watch five minutes ago. The consumer took an action step. That’s a successful brand connection. They might not have gone to the website, or bought anything at all, but they remembered the brand and had a grassroots campaign just fly out of their mouth to coworker Joe and coworker Susie. Funny. Scary. Disgusting. Racy. Inspiring. Something drove them to talk.

For advertising to be effective, remembering the brand is key. Repetition was thought to work by just saying phrases three magical times to get people to remember. (Head-On, apply directly to the head.) It’s not how many times a spot says or shows the brand, it’s the entire message. One fluid brand voice. Common sense, right? I’m not saying repetition doesn’t work, because it does. It helps consumers memorize a brand though, not remember it. Remembering leads to discussion. Discussion increases awareness. Eventually,  leading to recognition, then reaction, and finally brand marriage. “I will” buy this, or “I do” need this.

Coworker Joe standing in isle three at his local grocery store and sees the brand Susie mentioned to him, he should recognize it on the shelf and (hopefully) have a reaction, like picking it up. Then maybe he’ll drop that box in his cart and say, “I do need this INSERT BRAND medicated foot lotion.” NOTE: Hope your packing is great by the way. Advertising can only lead them, it can’t make them drink. Good design can practically jump off a shelf.

Joe’s new brand bride all started with a creative concept. A wicked storyboard brought to life. The funny video Susie forwarded to Joe at work. Spoofs, parodies, and imitations of effective, popular advertising get noticed, discussed, and forwarded. Please remember this, the parodying brand has to be appropriate or at least the message has to convince the consumer it is. In other words, it has to be good to be effective. No pressure though. 

Here’s some of those ripples I was talking about. Good. Bad. You decide.

Greenpeace: Dove Onslaught(er)

Foster Farms: Transformations

Ugly Betty Promotion

Tuffsheet.com

French Blog

Russian Dating Site

Be proud, Creative originals. Parody is the sincerest form of flattery. Cheers and good job!

Qui a dit que les poules n’avaient pas de dents ?
Certainement pas les concurrents de Foster Farms, selon une vidéo virale de la marque de poulet américaine où celle-ci leur dresse un portrait assez cassant.
Le message est clair : aucun poulet n’est « fresh » comme ceux de Foster Farms.
Et, pour étayer ce discours, rien de telle qu’une nouvelle parodie de la publicité Dove Evolution, où l’on assistait à la transformation en accéléré d’une femme « normale » en véritable Aphrodite grâce à quelques coups de pinceaux et clics sur Photoshop.
Ceci n’est pas la première réponse au spot gagnant du grand prix de Cannes 2007. On avait notamment eu droit à l’époque à l’amusant « Slob évolution », la mutation inverse, d’un Apollon en monstre de laideur à grand renfort de cigarettes et de junk food.

Ici, c’est une marionnette de poulet bien mal en point qui, entre les mains de différents professionnels de la beauté (coiffeurs, maquilleurs, etc…) et quelques retouches virtuelles, se voit devenir un vrai coq de compet’, représentant tous les rivaux de Fosters Farms et leur vision de la vérité plus que douteuse.

“Join the Foster Farms movement for real fresh Chicken”

Au final, plus de 20 000 vues sur Youtube depuis le 22 février, une bonne viralité pour une bonne idée.

Source :

Culture Buzz 

 El año pasado la fundación Dove de la mano de Ogilvy lanzo una campaña mostrando sobre la “belleza publicitaria” de las mujeres en donde muestran el proceso de como llega una mujer de cara lavada hasta terminar en un cartel en la vía pública.

Lo interesante es como muestran todo el proceso que hay de photoshop y como cambian radicalmente la imagen inicial de la mujer hasta llegar al “producto” terminado.

En esta ocasión la empresa  Foster Farms (que por lo que pude averiguar es una avícola) ha realizado este comercial parodiando al comercial de Dove e incentivando a la gente a que apoyen el movimiento de los pollos frescos.

Aqui el comercial de Dove para los que no lo vieron

GRACIAS GATO POR PASARME ESTE AVISO!! 

Foster Farms is een Amerikaans bedrijf dat kip verkoopt. Ze staan erop dat hun kip steeds vers en natuurlijk is. In deze spot, die een parodie is op de befaamde Evolution spot van Dove, willen ze er ons op wijzen hoe verdraaid onze kijk is op verse kip. De spot werd bedacht door het bureau Gruppo Gallegos en is behoorlijk geestig.

Klik op meer lezen voor de originele Dove-spot.

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I was less than excited to do this product test after my experience with the soy hot dogs.    The only thing I had going for me was that I found out long ago everything tastes better on a stick.  For my corn dog taste test I decided to pick three alternative type dogs and just elminate the traditional ones all together.   I’ve had a normal corn dog, everyone has, so I have a good idea of what they taste like.  For this entry I picked a soy corn dog (sigh), a turkey corn dog and a chicken corn dog.

I started with the turkey dog and to be honest this one had an unfair advantage.   Hot Dog on a Stick currently operates in 12 states and started making their namesake in 1946.    You may not be aware but HDOS uses 100% Turkey dogs and fries them to perfection.   But at 20% of my daily Saturated Fat allowance and 17% of my daily cholesterol it is by no means a health food.    

Next I bit the bullet and heated up the soy dogs by MorningStar Farms, these have 3% of my daily Saturated Fat and 0% Cholesterol so I anticipated a disaster like my soy hot dog challenge I did last week.   I was wrong.    Although not as tasty as the HDOS these were absolutely passable.  I baked them in the oven to make them a little crisp and with a sizable helping of Ketchup and Mustard I enjoyed it.    The only downside is that they are a little bland, the flavor didn’t jump off the stick but it didn’t make me jump off the couch to spit it out either. 

Finally the chicken dogs and for these I picked the leader in chicken, Foster Farms.  What I found interesting was if you didn’t want cheese in the corn dog (which I’m against by the way) then you had to get a honey battered one.    This ended up being the deal breaker for me.  The batter just didn’t taste right and I couldn’t get over the sweetness.  

The verdict is that I’m only going to keep the MorningStar Corn Dogs in my freezer.    But, if I happen to be at the mall with a Hot Dog on a Stick and need to eat lunch….there are worse choices right?

I just read an article about arsenic in chicken and decided to follow up with some web research of my own. Here’s what I found:

Many chicken ranchers routinely use arsenic in chicken feed to control intestinal parasites and promote growth. Of the 8.7 billion billion American broiler chickens produced each year, at least 70 percent have been fed arsenic. The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) tested samples of chicken and found arsenic to be in the majority of chicken that most people eat. Although the arsenic levels are lower than the levels set by the FDA, it is an additional unnecessary exposure to arsenic. Arsenic is in our water, rice, fish and a number of other foods. Soil is contaminated with chicken manure laced with arsenic and chicken litter contaminated with arsenic is fed to other animals. This has a cumulative effect, compounding the exposure we have to arsenic.

The good news is that chicken breasts from major producers, such as Tyson and Foster Farms had no detectable arsenic. In addition, Bell & Evans and Eberly chickens are arsenic-free. Use the Eat Well Guide to find other chicken producers who do not use artificial feed additives by zip-code. You can also buy certified organic chicken or those labeled as antibiotic-free. Arsenic is permitted in chicken labeled as kosher, free-range or all-natural chicken. You can also remove the skin from a chicken treated with arsenic, which reduces levels significantly. 

For more information see Playing Chicken: Avoiding Arsenic in Your Meat and Frequently asked questions on Playing Chicken: Avoiding Arsenic in Your Meat.

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