April 16, 2010 – Follow a cow on Twitter to get back in touch with the farm and know how the animal that gives the milk, the cheese and the offspring on which we feed are treated?
This is an example of trends evoked by Pierre-Bernard Dow-Blanchet, within the framework of an Infopresse conference.1 held in Montreal on food and communication.
Dow-Blanchet
Strategist for the Taxi marketing firm and keen on information technology, Mr. Dow-Blanchet noted certain drivers governing the act of eating, including:
- biological function;
- entertainment;
- information technology.
It was from these drivers that he identified certain food trends among consumers.
Eat to live … and to survive
According to Pierre-Bernard Dow-Blanchet, the omnipresence of food in our society often makes consumers forget that eating is a necessity. “The act of eating is often associated with pleasure,” he says.
However, health and nutrition specialists have created new concerns for consumers, including that of protecting themselves against disease. This allowed the appearance of new products.
“Eating to fight for survival has become a major trend, as we saw during the H1N1 crisis, where we were told to eat probiotics to optimize its immune system”, illustrated the communicator.
Eat for fun … and be active
In addition, he believes that the various cooking shows on TV no longer seek only to invite the listener to reconnect with the pleasure of cooking for entertainment.
“Now we see more activist shows that seek audience engagement through activism, as Jamie Oliver does in Food Revolution “2, continues Pierre-Bernard Dow-Blanchet.
In this program, the young English chef aims to change the diet of the inhabitants of an American village, and his action even goes so far as to encourage his followers to sign a petition to change municipal and government regulations in favor of a healthier food.
Another illustration of this activist trend: hallal meat is increasingly popular in grocery stores, according to Mr. Dow-Blanchet. “Not for religious reasons, but because you can tell how the animal was treated and slaughtered before it gets to the meat counter. “
The responsible eating trend is another example of this militant consumer trend: eating feeds both your stomach and your conscience!
Twitter to find out about what we eat
Another obvious trend observed by Pierre-Bernard Dow-Blanchet in the food sector: the increased use of technological applications and social media to find out – and inform others – about what we eat.
For example, we can follow a cow named “Attention Please”, which “chirps” on Twitter. You can know her time occupation and her dairy performance3. “It allows the consumer to connect with the farm,” he says.
Moreover, if it was once necessary to be a chef or an expert to influence others, the advent of blogs has democratized the art of cooking.
“This is the hour of virtual hospitality where we no longer eat only with people at the table, but also with 2,000 guests on the Internet,” he adds.
Another example of the strength of social media? “At a restaurant, with cell phones, you can take a picture of your dish and send it to your friends, and even review the establishment … even before having received the bill! », Concludes Mr. Dow-Blanchet.
Other food trends for 2010– Eat without guilt (indulgence) – The butcher (he knows the origin of his products) – The ready-to-eat in the street (Street food) – Small desserts (macaroons, cup cake, etc.) – Bacon for dessert – Coconut milk drink |
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. Organized by Éditions Infopresse, the conference took place on April 14, 2010. For more information: www.infopresse.com [consulté le 15 avril 2010].
2. To learn more about Jaimie Oliver and his campaign to revolutionize food in the United States: www.jamieoliver.com/ [consulté le 15 avril 2010].
3. This is a project from the University of Waterloo, Ontario called Teat Tweet. You can follow the “Attention Please” cow and many others by clicking on this link: http://criticalmedia.uwaterloo.ca [consulté le 15 avril 2010].