Land O'Lakes is taking Fashion Week by storm, boldly bringing Farmcore aesthetics to the runways of Paris — not the one in France, but in Wisconsin.
In a brand new national campaign helmed by its agency of record Battery, the beloved butter brand hosted a runway event to highlight how purchasing its products supports over 1,000 farmer-owners who contribute to their local communities each day.
The "Farmcore-to-Table Runway" event featured models strutting down a dining table repurposed as a runway, each dressed in authentic Farmcore looks, with workwear sourced directly from real Land O'Lakes farmer-members.
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Meanwhile, an emcee took to a giant butter stick side stage to host the party.
The festivities also included a glambot that captured close-up photos of each outfit, supported by the favorite dairy-based dishes (such as apple pie and grilled cheese) of each farmer-owner who donated clothes for the event.
Aiming to establish that Farmcore isn't just a social media trend, the campaign champions the authentic style and way of life grounded in the grueling, everyday work done by farmers from American rural communities.
Elizabeth Nelson, director of brand marketing, dairy foods at Land O'Lakes, emphasized the campaign's goal of spotlighting company farmers who are at the heart of all the brand's efforts, with Battery being an essential part of discovering innovative ways to highlight the good in buying Land O'Lakes products.
"Hosting our own 'Paris' fashion week allows us to showcase Land O’Lakes farmers’ impact in unexpected and meaningful ways," she concluded.
The 103-year-old cooperative has maintained a long history of working with farmer-owners, uplifting their individual businesses and, in turn, creating a positive impact on the wider community.
As part of the campaign, Battery and Land O'Lakes will be launching a traveling tableau of Farmcore, driving down the streets of New York to showcase the unique campaign to a much larger audience.
Land O'Lakes will also release a custom apron giveaway alongside more substantial Farmcore-themed social content highlighting hardworking farmer-owners.
The campaign will run across social, CTV, OOH, and on Dotdash Meredith-owned media.
"Farmcore-to-Table Runway" is a fine example of a company effectively embracing and showcasing its brand values.
By uplifting rural farmers with a substantial campaign, Land O'Lakes is able to go past social media trends to create a campaign with heart.
Fine Farm Fashion
A short 30-second feature chronicles how the brand took back Farmcore, with a montage of clips that depict farmer-owners, the clothes they donated, and the models that took the clothes down the runway.
Dressed in blue denim, canvas jackets, overalls, and hickory pants, models strutted down a runway beautifully decorated with flowers and table settings to look like a dining table.
The spot uncovers the stories behind the clothes and how they contributed to bringing butter and cheese to the homes of people across the U.S.
Battery Group Brand Director Pat Dunneback says that farmers are often forgotten when buying products like butter or cheese.
This is why the brand needs to create "a culturally connected campaign that not only highlights these individuals, but also shows the brand’s commitment to sustainability, its people, and impact on communities."
The campaign also includes shorter 15-second clips that take a closer look at individual pieces, such as a jacket from Farmer-Owner Brett, who recycles food waste from grocery stores to power his family farm.
Other updates in the dairy world include a campaign launched by Kraft last month that embraces the comforting properties of Mac & Cheese.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
