It’s obvious that Michelle Obama is working hard to promote fresh produce.  She has amazing influence, and it’s only going to get stronger over time. So, political views aside, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch as we continue our “What If” game to imagine the First Lady as “The Face of Fresh Produce.”  

Historically, when an American president places his hand on the Holy Bible and gets sworn into office, he has not become the nation’s leader alone. Rather, he has had a First Lady by his side. These women are influential leaders in their own right.

Remember Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No?” campaign? It was the first public shot in the drug war, and it reminded America of how much influence a First Lady can have.  Hillary Clinton championed health care reform. Barbara Bush promoted literacy, as did her daughter-in-law, Laura, in George W’s administration.

Which causes have inspired our current First Lady to speak up? In addition to volunteerism, military families and efforts to help women find the delicate balance between family and career, Michelle Obama has a cause that has definitely caught our attention: eat fresh food!

Let’s review some highlights:

• March, 2009: Just a few months into her new role, Michelle worked in a soup kitchen that only uses fresh ingredients, nothing processed or canned. She spoke fondly of community gardens and local produce.
• April, 2009: The Obamas installed an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn. The produce from this garden is prepared and served by the in-house chefs.
• September, 2009: Michelle works to have a local Farmer’s Market set up near the White House.
• September, 2009:  All spouses of the G20 Summit members are invited to a dinner on a farm, hosted by the First Lady. Greens, apples and other items grown on the farm are served. Those invited also received small jars of honey from the bees used to pollinate the White House garden.
• October, 2009: Mrs. Obama goes on Sesame Street to teach kids about gardening and healthy eating habits, stressing not only nutrition, but taste: “I know you’re going to like these vegetables, because in addition to being healthy, they really taste great!” she exclaimed.

Michelle Obama has a large and receptive audience.  What she says gets heard and, most often, listened to. People pay attention to her and take action.

What if our country’s First Lady was on the frontlines of our industry’s promotion efforts?  What if every state dinner featured fruits and vegetables specially selected by Mrs. Obama?  What if PMA announced Mrs. Obama as the new “Face of Fresh Produce” at the 2010 Fresh Summit Welcome Reception in Orlando?  The list of potential positives goes on and on.

And, although this “what if” scenario is being presented as fantasy, it doesn’t have to be.  We can and should be consistently communicating OUR story to people in positions of influence, such as Michelle Obama.  That way, even if she doesn’t become the official “Face of Fresh Produce,” we know that, when discussing fresh produce, she is disseminating the best and most accurate information about the most natural and healthy food source on the planet.

The Essence:  When working to promote our industry, it doesn’t hurt to dream big… Just think of the tremendous possibilities, of how we all could benefit from the First Lady’s officially assuming the role of “The Face of Fresh Produce.” Just imagine what a campaign that would be.

Posted by The Health Nut (Brock Nemecek)

Tags: Brock Nemecek, fresh produce, Fresh Summit, Marketing, Michelle Obama, What If?

Posted Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 4:06 pm and is filed under All, Culture, Marketing.