wholefoods_team6-2

J453 Communications Plan #1, Version #2

Ruby Betten | Kelsey Dannels | Jessica Hales | Kate McCue | Skylar Ojeda

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Table of Contents

Background 3

Situation Analysis 11

SWOT 12

Opportunity Statement and Goal 13

Key Publics & Key Messages 14

Objectives Strategies & Tactics 19

Evaluation Criteria & Tools 23

Appendices 25

Budget 31

Timeline 34

References 42

3

Background

History

Whole Foods is an international natural food grocery chain headquartered in Austin,

Texas. The owners of local natural grocery store Safer Way Natural Foods, John Mackay and

Renee Lawson, partnered with Craig Walker and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural

Grocers, to create the first Whole Foods Market. The first store opened on September 20, 1980,

with a staff of 19 employees.1 At the time, there were less than six natural food grocers in the

United States.2 The company’s mission is to be a grocery store “featuring good, wholesome

food; not a ‘health food’ store filled with pills and potions.3 Throughout the 1980s and 1990s,

the company acquired numerous natural food stores and quickly expanded its store presence

into other cities and states.

In 1992, Whole Foods Market went public, with its shares starting at $2.13 per share.

The company also implemented quarterly “5 percent Days” to give back 5 percent of after-‐tax

profits to communities where Whole Foods Markets operated, and it more than doubled its

annual revenues every year for the first four years.4

In 1997, Whole Foods created its own produce line: 365 Everyday Value line. In 1998,

Fortune Magazine named Whole Foods in its inaugural “100 Best Places to Work For,” and

Whole Foods has consistently remained on that list every year since.5 Throughout the early

2000s, Whole Foods continued to gain recognition by being added to the Fortune 500 list,

winning a variety of “green” awards and showcasing its community outreach by donating funds

to local producers and farmers.6 Around this time, Whole Foods stock was added to the

NASDAQ-‐100.

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Whole Foods has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Today Whole Foods has

411 stores across the U.S., Canada and UK, employing over 87,000 employees. It has

successfully become the eighth largest food and drug store in the U.S.7 Whole Foods now

carries more than 2,600 natural and organic products among its Whole Foods Market, 365

Everyday Value, and Whole Catch brands.8 Currently, Whole Foods has secured the 218th spot

on the Forbes 500 list and has a steady stock price.9 Back in the 1992, when Whole Foods went

public with the company, stock started out at $2.13 per share.10 Comparatively, Whole Foods

stock currently is available for purchase at about $53 per share.11 While Whole Foods has

grown significantly from its 19-‐staffed market in Austin, Texas, it hasn’t forgotten its core

missions and values: community involvement, animal-‐welfare, healthy foods, and taking care of

its employees.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Whole Foods supports the farmers who help produce its products through the Local

Producer Loan Program, donating $10 million every year to help local producers grow their

businesses via low interest loans.12 Similarly in 2005 when the national unemployment rate was

particularly high, Whole Foods launched its own nonprofit, the Whole Planet Foundation, which

seeks to help the poor come out of poverty by giving them work.13

More recently, Whole Foods joined numerous causes to combat the childhood obesity

epidemic. Whole Foods partnered with LunchBox.org, raising $700,000 to get more nutritious

lunches to kids, created the Whole Kids Foundation, and co-‐founded “Let’s Move Salad Bars

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into Schools” to increase access to healthy foods.14 Whole Foods, along with its shoppers, has

donated $1.4 million to get salad bars in over 570 public schools nationwide.15

Whole Foods Company has taken significant strides to ensure the safety of its loyal

customers, as well at the safety of wildlife. All wild-‐caught seafood available in Whole Food

Markets is purchased from fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or rated

“Green” or “Yellow” by fish standards.16 Whole Foods refuses to serve red-‐rated seafood, which

can often be found in typical grocery store chains, often indicating a particular fish population

that is overfished or mistreated.17 Additionally, Whole Foods takes prides in selling fish and

poultry that is raised in quality farming conditions and have not been fed chemicals, antibiotics,

or hormones.18 Whole Foods likes to oversee the entire “farm-‐to-‐market” process, operating its

own farms and fisheries in Massachusetts, Georgia, and Maryland.19 As a result of Whole Foods’

efforts, PETA named Whole Foods the “Best Animal-‐Friendly Retailer” in 2005.20

Employee Relations

Whole Foods is also known for its strong employee relations. Any employee clocking-‐in

20+ hours per week has the opportunity to receive generous store discounts (between 20-‐30

percent), medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, retirement saving plans, paid

time off, leaves of absence, the opportunity to participate in the GainSharing program, Team

Member Stock Option Plan, and Team Member Emergency Fund.21

Whole Food executives also believe in competitive pay for their employees, which is

why all salaries for every position are made available for the public. The company illustrates

valuing every level of employee by creating salary caps for its executives. Executive salaries are

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limited to 19 times the average full-‐time employee salary.22 Whole Foods also provides stock

options for employees after approximately three years of service.23 Whole Foods also made a

name for itself when it debuted its GainSharing Program. The GainSharing Program rewards

employees based on labor productivity in addition to their normal salaries.24 In 2014, Whole

Foods employees increased their rate of pay by $0.79 an hour; the company paid out over $90

million that year in doing so.25 Whole Foods recognizes the importance of its employees and

their roles in the day-‐to-‐day success of the company, and it fills 90 percent of leadership

positions by promoting internally.26 Due to the company’s growth and well-‐known employee

relations efforts, Whole Foods added 8,800 new employees in the 2014 fiscal year, and has an

extremely low employee turnover rate of 11 percent.27

Organic Food Industry Overview

After the introduction of pesticides in the 1940s, it took decades for people to start

realizing the harms of ingesting food that had been treated with pesticides. In the 1970s large

groups of Americans began realizing these negative effects, and opposition to chemically

treated crops grew. In 1980, Whole Foods launched its first store in Austin, Texas and promised

to support and sell only natural and organic foods. Since then, the organic offerings have only

grown increasingly each year.28

It is often unknown to consumers what requirements must be met for food to be

considered organic. The USDA does have a set of rules and regulations that all organic farmers

must meet to remain an organic farm, outlined below:29

● “Environmental stewardship: Organic farmers must use practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity”

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● “Synthetic substances: Organic farmers limit their use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to those approved in organic regulations and do not use sewage sludge, irradiation, or genetic engineering”

● “Pest management: Organic systems require preventative measures and physical controls before using approved pesticides”

● “Fertility and nutrient management: Organic systems focus on developing soil in ways that rely on natural materials”

However, there are several organic certification programs. The organic food industry is fast

growing and is continuing to rise in popularity. Although the market is relatively new with the

USDA only implementing the national standards for organics in October 2002, industry experts

estimate that each year there will be a steady growth of 9 percent or higher.30 In 2008 the

United States had about 4.1 million acres of farmland dedicated to organically produced food,

with thousands more acres being added each year.31 This acreage is almost double the amount

used in the previous year, and most of these farms are located in California. The growth of

organic food sales jumped from $1.7 billion in 2007 to $3.2 billion in 2008, with Oregon being

number three in organic food sales out of all 50 states, most of those sales taking place

locally.32 Buying local and organic is important to Oregonians, and any company that uses local

products will be more successful in places like Eugene.

Because the organic food market is a relatively new one, there are only a few companies

that are direct competitors across the United States: Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. According

to a study posted on statista.com, 57.6 percent of people would buy organic food over non-‐

organic food if given a choice, although the higher price of buying organically versus non-‐

organically is generally the biggest deterrent for people not doing so.33 But Eugene is an area

that for the past few decades been known for its healthy lifestyle and push for an abundance of

organic and even vegan options, so the organic food market has consistently grown. Major and

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locally owned organic food competitors already located in the Eugene area are Trader Joe's,

Market of Choice, Sundance Natural Foods, Capella Market, Natural Grocer, Red Barn Natural

Grocery, the farmers market, and Kiva Grocery Store. Whole Foods also competes with

mainstream grocers, such as Safeway, Albertson’s, and Wal-‐Mart. Not only does Whole Foods

compete with natural and organic grocers, but it also competes with traditional grocers in the

Eugene area. These competitors include Safeway, Wal-‐Mart, Albertson’s, Fred Meyers, Winco,

Grocery Outlet, and Target.

Whole Foods Moving to Eugene

Whole Foods has been working to open a store in the Eugene community for the past 10

years: “We have long believed that Eugene was a wonderful place for Whole Foods Market

because the community’s values mirror so much of what we hold important,” stated Joe

Rogogg, Regional President for Whole Foods Market in the Pacific Northwest.34 The corporation

prides itself on the fact that no two stores are the same. Each new location enlists the use of

local designers to fit the standards and expectations of the specific region. Mea Irving,

Marketing Leader for the Eugene location stated, “The store in Eugene will be specifically

tailored to meet the needs of the Eugene residents.” The 33,750 square foot store plans on

employing about 150 people.35

Besides visual design, Whole Foods also values transparency with suppliers and

products: “Quality and transparency really go hand in hand, so it’s important for us that we

educate our shoppers on how to make informed decisions. This will show up throughout the

aisles and departments with thorough product labeling,” explained Irving.36 Eugene residents

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value local food because they take pride in knowing how their food is grown, raised and made.

Irving insisted that local residents would appreciate that “none of our meat has been treated

with antibiotics, ever.” She further acknowledged that the prices might be somewhat

challenging for certain populations and specifically students, but Whole Foods is confident that

they will generate a fun and inclusive place for all to hangout with friends and study.

Local Eugenians have shared various opinions about their newest neighbor. On one side,

a large number of citizens believe that installing a branch of this global corporation will help the

community industrialize and move away from being antiquated and close-‐minded.37 These

citizens tend to be in favor of the designated placement as well because it will contribute to the

efforts to revitalize and restore downtown Eugene.

On the other hand, a number of citizens are discouraged by the Whole Foods store

opening, expressing concerns of loss of business to local grocers such as Sundance, The Kiva,

and Capella Market.38 The new location will replace a parking lot and Todd’s Place, a local

restaurant that has expressed hardship in finding a new permanent location. Instead of filling a

vacancy with a new store, many citizens were in favor of using the space and allocated funds

for new parks or indoor farmer’s markets.

Eugene residents are sensitive to the fact that there wasn’t any community outreach or

general involvement in deciding to bring Whole Foods to Eugene. Although it will add

significant financial aid to the Eugene community, many citizens share a lack of support over

the expense that Whole Foods will bring, even to the simplest of grocery items. It is well known

that Whole Foods sells items typically above MSRP prices, which limits particular socioeconomic

classes from purchasing Whole Foods products.39 However, Whole Foods extended its 365

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Everyday Value line and recently lowered its prices on many items as a way for a variety of

incomes to afford natural and organic foods.40 Many residents find the store to be irrelevant

due to the fact that it is not meant to be a one-‐stop-‐shop. For many basic household materials

such as toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies, shoppers will have to go elsewhere

unless they want to pay top dollar for specialized grades of organic materials.

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Situation Analysis

Whole Foods Market is set to open in Eugene, Oregon, on March 1, 2016, but the

company faces resistance from some members of the Eugene community who fear Whole

Foods will drive out smaller local competitors. For the past 10 years, Whole Foods Market has

attempted to open its first store in Eugene, Oregon, and now it has the opportunity to enter a

new market. The U.S. organic food industry is expected to grow 14 percent between 2013 and

2018.41 As the leading retailer of natural and organic foods in the U.S., Whole Foods Market has

an opportunity to capitalize on increasing demand. However, the company faces resistance

from some Eugenians who feel protective of the local, sustainable food economy and fear that

Whole Foods won’t buy from local producers. If Whole Foods Market does not implement a

strategic communications plan, it risks alienating the Eugene community and may fail to launch

a profitable store.

Potential difficulties include opposition from Eugene residents and local businesses, in

particular those located in downtown Eugene. City leaders have struggled to revitalize

downtown Eugene for many years.42 Those who oppose Whole Foods Market argue the

company will not drive economic development downtown.43 The opening of a Whole Foods

Market will create jobs and bring a wider selection of natural and organic produce to the

community. The company must strategically communicate these benefits to its Eugene

stakeholders. In order to build and maintain relationships with its publics, Whole Foods Market

must demonstrate a genuine commitment to the Eugene community by communicating its

values to Eugene stakeholders while remaining transparent.

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SWOT Strengths

● Strong brand recognition among natural and organic consumers ● Offer additional services/resources such as catering, online ordering, blogs, recipes44 ● Well developed CSR programs45 ● High-‐quality food46 ● Strong customer service47 ● Customized shopping experience (in-‐store app)48 ● Broad range of food products49 ● Good presence in U.S.50 ● Treats employees well51 ● Customized store layouts

Weaknesses

● Not a one-‐stop-‐shop ● Limited online shopping options ● Expensive product offerings (known as “whole paycheck”) ● Viewed as luxury grocer ● Anti-‐union52 ● Lacks strong management53 ● Controversy about suppliers54

Opportunities

● Tap into niche market ● Healthy eating is trending (Whole Foods is a leader in this movement)55 ● Opportunity to sponsor Eugene events and increase brand recognition/respect among

the community56 ● Help develop downtown Eugene57 ● Private label growth ● International expansion

Threats

● Highly competitive market58 ● Opposition by activist groups in the Eugene community59 ● The U.S. government subsidizes the corn growers industry but not the organic farmers

so companies not selling/using organic ingredients can sell/grow more food cheaper60 ● The number of organic food farmers is slowly growing -‐ organic food cannot meet needs

of American food system61

Opportunity Statement

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Because the city of Eugene values local business, the integration of a corporation like

Whole Foods raises concerns among some Eugenians. As the leading retailer of natural and

organic foods, Whole Foods Market has the opportunity to enter a new market, build

relationships with its Eugene stakeholders, and change perceptions of its store opening to have

a positive association with the local Eugene community.

Goal

To receive positive affirmation and brand acceptance amongst upper and upper-‐middle

class Eugenians and minimize resistance from activist groups during integration into the Eugene

community.

Key Publics

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Upper and Upper-‐Middle Class Eugenians

Compared to other organic food grocers, the cost of products sold at Whole Foods is

relatively high. It is because of this fact that the target consumer audience would be upper and

upper-‐middle class Eugenians. The mean annual household income in 2012 in Eugene was

$59,894. However, our focus will be aimed more toward the 26.9 percent of Eugene

households who earn $75,000 or more per year.62 According to a study posted on statista.com,

57.6 percent of people would buy organic food over non-‐organic food if given a choice.63 The

higher cost of buying organically versus non-‐organically is generally the biggest deterrent for

people not buying organic, but if money constraints were not an issue, that percentage is even

higher. Members of the community who have more disposable income, such as families who

make more than $75,000 a year, would be the most logical group to target when trying to build

a local customer base. The marketing of Whole Foods will also specifically target those upper

and upper-‐middle class members who are health conscious, strive for a natural, organic food

lifestyle, and value quality over price.

Self-‐interests: The upper-‐class population of Eugene tends to be very interested in personal

health and leading a healthy lifestyle64. They have the means to pick and choose the foods they

put in their bodies so it is more likely that they will buy all natural or organic foods.

Influentials: The media and advertising in TV news, newspaper articles and magazines, their

peers and bosses or business partners are the key influencers for upper class Eugenians.

Primary Messages ● Awareness -‐ Shop at Whole Foods Market for natural and organic products that benefit

a healthy lifestyle ● Attitudinal -‐ Whole Eugene. Whole community. Whole life. Whole Foods ● Behavioral -‐ Shopping at Whole Foods supports local breweries and wineries

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Secondary Messages

Whole Foods customers are health-‐focused and desire quality natural and organic

products, which is what Whole Foods is known for.65 Whole Foods is helping revitalize

downtown Eugene. Whole Foods offers a wide selection of groceries and functions as grounds

to meet and collaborate.

Activist Groups

Since the 1960s, the city of Eugene has been thought of as a location where it is ideal for

alternative and progressive ideas. There are over 100 different activist groups -‐ not including

student organizations at the University of Oregon or Lane Community College -‐ currently in the

city of Eugene.66 The most important activist groups to develop a positive relationship with

from the list are We the People -‐ Eugene, Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance, Slow

Food Eugene, Willamette Farm and Food Coalition, Greenhill Humane Society, and Downtown

Neighborhood Association. These organizations are important to target due to their interests in

local and organic food, anti-‐corporation mindsets, animal rights, and downtown Eugene

neighborhood development. These are all issues that directly impact Whole Foods because it is

a large corporation that will be entering the downtown Eugene area, and it is also known for

using local and organic products depending on store location. It is important for Whole Foods

to raise awareness among these potential protesting groups to ensure them that their best

interests are also Whole Foods' best interests. This ideal will come mainly from the partnering

of the Eugene Whole Foods with local non-‐profit organizations to give back to the community

and prove that Whole Foods is invested in revitalizing the area. Whole Foods has a history of

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working with nonprofits at the local level, which is important for the attitude change of groups

such as We the People of Eugene to not see Whole Foods as a big corporate intrusion.

Self-‐interests: Activist groups are mainly concerned with their cause and how well their

message is coming across. The most important thing to them is that their group’s core message

is reaching the public and their activism is making a difference in their community.

Influentials: Some groups that may influence activists are political leaders, corporations, local

events or other organizations and the local community.

Primary Messages ● Behavioral -‐ Whole Foods Market values relationships with local natural and organic

food producers ● Attitudinal -‐ Whole Foods Market values the community and supports local nonprofits

or Whole Foods Market is open to suggestions, questions and concerns Secondary Messages

The behavioral message is addressing activist groups’ concerns by emphasizing its partnerships

with local producers. The attitudinal message is expressing its desire to help the community

prosper. Whole Foods encourages two-‐way communication to maintain positive relationships

with all community members.

Intervening Public: Local Businesses in Downtown Eugene

Local businesses are a crucial audience to target to ensure a successful store opening

and lasting positive relationships with the Eugene community. Whole Foods is anticipated to

increase foot-‐traffic to downtown Eugene businesses and will use downtown local businesses

as an intervening public to counter negative perceptions among activist groups. Whole Foods'

goal is not to intrude on Eugene local businesses, but to rather collaborate and create a

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message of revitalizing downtown Eugene, which will attract more consumers. Because Eugene

has such a large number of smaller, local businesses and the attitude of being anti-‐corporation

is fairly prevalent, local businesses are an important public to maintain a good relationship

with. Whole Foods' goal is not to intrude on Eugene local businesses, but to rather collaborate

and create a message of revitalizing downtown Eugene, which will attract more consumers.

Local businesses in the Eugene metro area consists of 9,455 total businesses according

to the 2012 MSA Business Pattern census. One thousand two hundred eighty-‐three (13.6

percent) of those businesses are retail trade, 952 (10.1 percent) are scientific and technical

services, 1,136 (12 percent) are health care and social assistance, and 937 (9.9 percent) are

food service businesses.67 Market of Choice, Trader Joes, Capella Market, Kiva, Natural Grocer

and Sundance are the top six organic food markets currently established in Eugene. Capella,

Kiva, and Sundance are all smaller, local businesses that may be against the introduction of a

same-‐industry giant to their area. Because these businesses are already established, it is

important to develop a positive relationship to maintain customers and profit.

Outreaching to local businesses will help Whole Foods become a proactive element in

revitalizing downtown Eugene. In addition to local grocers, Whole Foods will also ensure that

local wines and beers are sold to reiterate support of another local market. There are over

twenty breweries and wineries located in the Eugene area, which will be crucial in supporting

the building of Whole Foods.68 Selling products from these local sources will uphold the

promise to help the local community, as well as offer a larger potential customer base for the

local breweries and vineyards. Local business owners have the power to influence people in the

community to support the introduction of Whole Foods. Working with local businesses and

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creating a positive, beneficial relationship with these publics will help the overall success of the

opening and how people view the introduction of the store.

Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

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Upper & Upper Middle Class Eugenians Objective 1: Awareness

● Increase upper and upper-‐middle class Eugenians’ awareness of Whole Foods store opening and the company’s local community values by 30 percent by March 1, 2016.

Strategy 1

● Use social media outlets to increase Eugenians’ awareness of Whole Foods opening. Tactics

● Develop digital advertisement featuring Whole Foods Eugene store info and Whole Foods community values messaging.

○ Distribute via geotargeted Facebook ads every other day from September 1, 2015 through March 1, 2016

● Connect Pinterest account with Twitter account and post a new recipe weekly from Whole Foods Pinterest account

○ Recipes will highlight ingredients from local Lane County producers Strategy 2

● Use local traditional media outlets to increase public’s awareness of Whole Foods opening.

Tactics ● Develop print ad featuring Whole Foods community values messaging

○ Purchase 1 full-‐page ad in Eugene magazine each month leading up to the store opening beginning in September

● Run key message and call to action on KLCC radio four times per week for 10 weeks leading up to store opening

○ Underwriting message: “Support for KLCC comes from Whole Foods Market, committed to quality natural and organic products, and supporting the Eugene community by partnering with local producers. Visit WholeFoodsMarket.com”

Objective 2: Attitudinal

● Increase positive perception of Whole Foods store opening among upper and upper-‐middle class Eugenians by 10 percent by March 1, 2016.

Strategy 1

● Appeal to upper and upper-‐middle class Eugenians by promoting a message of community involvement, health and children.69

Tactics ● Pitch the Whole Kids Foundation “School Garden Grant Program” and “School Salad Bar

Program” in 4J schools to local news media70 ○ KMTR ○ KVAL ○ KEZI

● Create multimedia story highlighting the programs in 4j schools

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○ Post video on Whole Foods YouTube account ○ Link to Facebook and Twitter

Strategy 2 ● Sponsor an existing event with a local organization (intervening public) to increase

Eugenians support for the opening of Whole Foods. Tactics

● Sponsor Eugene Hop Valley Brews Cruise 5k on Monday, September 7, 2015 to kick off campaign

● Purchase tent at the event ● Promote 365 line by handing out 365 snacks

Objective 3: Behavioral

● Increase involvement in Whole Foods store opening among upper and upper-‐middle class Eugenians by 15 percent by March 1, 2016.

Strategy 1

● Partner with local wineries to promote Oregon Wine Pass program and increase public involvement in Whole Foods store opening. Also promote Oregon Brewery Pass program.

Tactics ● Promote existing Oregon Wine and Brewery Pass program’s by encouraging Eugenians

to visit local wineries and enter a contest to win wine tasting/brew tasting at Whole Foods store after opening

● Promote program through: ○ Social media platforms

■ Twitter ■ Instagram ■ Facebook ■ Blog

● Press release ○ Pitch story to local media (Eugene Weekly, Register-‐Guard and KLCC)

● Send Oregon Wine Pass/Brewery Pass program information to targeted customers via postcard

○ Target customers by zip code using citydata.com71 Activist Groups Objective 1: Awareness

● Increase activist groups awareness of Whole Foods’ commitment to the local community by 30 percent by March 1, 2016.

Strategy 1

● Use social media outlets to increase Activist groups’ awareness of Whole Foods’

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company values Tactics

● Share community involvement on social media platforms to inform activist groups of values and commitment to Eugene community

● Twitter ○ Post three times a week highlighting CSR initiatives and partnerships with local

producers ● Facebook

○ Post three times a week highlighting CSR initiatives and partnerships with local producers

● Blog ○ Publish one blog post per month (September-‐February) sharing Whole Foods

CSR plans for Eugene community, stories of local producers Whole Foods plans to work with etc.

Objective 2: Attitudinal/Opinion Change

● Decrease negative perception of Whole Foods store opening among activist groups by 15 percent by March 1, 2016.

Strategy 1

● Engage in two-‐way communication with activist groups through Reddit AMA Tactics

● Announce date and time of Reddit AMA one week in advance via online platforms and press release

● Host one-‐hour Reddit AMA approx. three months before store opening ● Have three communications professionals from Whole Foods corporate speak on behalf

of the company Strategy 2

● Use positive testimonials from local businesses in downtown Eugene (intervening public)

Tactics ● Reach out to local businesses in downtown Eugene to begin a conversation about the

positive and negative impacts Whole Foods will have on the community ○ After a two-‐way conversation has been established, ask local business owners if

they would be willing to write an op-‐ed piece to be pitched to key local media outlets expressing the positive impact Whole Foods will have on the downtown community

Strategy 3 ● Emphasize Whole Foods’ commitment to supporting local producers

Tactics ● Pitch story about Whole Foods’ “Local Producer Loan Program” to local media72 ● Write letters to members of the Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance

○ Share information about and encourage local businesses to apply for the “Local Producer Loan Program” and key value messages73

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Evaluation

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Upper & Upper-‐Middle Class Eugenians

Objective 1: Survey approximately 1,000 Upper & Upper-‐Middle Class Eugenians for

baseline measurement of awareness of Whole Foods opening and perception of Whole Foods

brand. Send survey via email and resurvey the same individuals during first two weeks of

Eugene store opening. Acquire emails through passport participants and race participants.

Objective 1 will be measured successful if there is a 30 percent increase in awareness.

Objective 2: Success will be measured by number of positive media placements and

comments/mentions of the “School Garden Grant Program” and “School Salad Bar Program.”

The number of YouTube views and shares will also be measured.

Objective 3: Promote wine and beer passport through social media. If at least 40

participants submit their wine passport to the contest as well as at least 60 participants submit

their beer passport to the contest Objective 2 will be met.

Activist Groups

Objective 1: Conduct a content analysis on September 1, 2015 to measure baseline

number of negative social media/blog posts regarding Whole Foods opening. Success will be

measured based on percentage decrease of negative social media/blog mentions and increased

positive mentions. Track impressions via social media bitly link. Through the tools of bitly.com

Whole Foods will have the capability to track and analyze the audience that is engaged during

the AMA conversation. Conduct another content analysis on March 1, 2016 for comparison.

Objective 2: Track following of Reddit AMA through bitly link. Through the tools of

bitly.com Whole Foods will have the capability to track and analyze the audience that is

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engaged during the AMA conversation. Track impressions and engagement with Reddit AMA

posts and interaction during the event. Success will be measured by activists’ engagement and

content analysis of social media/blog mentions after Reddit AMA. A content analysis of the

complete Reddit AMA event will be conducted. Strategy 2 will be measured successful if one

local business owner agrees to write an op-‐ed piece. Strategy 3 will be measured successful if at

least three members of the Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance apply for the “Local

Producer Loan Program.”

Appendix

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1.

2 A

26

2 B

3

27

4 A

28

4 B

5A

29

5B

6A

30

7A

7B

31

Budget

Item Price

Upper & Upper-‐Middle Class Eugenians

Objective 1

Print and Digital Ad Creation Difficult to estimate ~ $1,000 each.

$6,000.00

Geotargeted Ads-‐ Twitter (See Appx. 5A and 5B)

189 days for the 6 month period and the highest bid is $10.00 per day

$1,820.00

Geotargeted Ads-‐ Facebook (See Appx. 2A and 2B)

$671.00 per month $4,026.00

6 Full page ads in Eugene Magazine (See Appx. 4A and 4B)

Dimensions (WxH) 17” x 11.125 $1840 + $2208 = $4048 +10% for bleed ($404.80) + 10% (445.28) preferred/guaranteed position

$4,898.05

KLCC Radio underwriting message

40 Rotator spots (Mon-‐Fri, morning drive time, day and evening) $35 each. Optimum effective scheduling. (NPR for Oregonians)

$1,400.00

Objective 2

Sponsorship of Eugene Brew Cruise 5K74

$1,000.00

365 products to hand out at the 5K 75 $3,218.00

Objective 3

Oregon Wine Pass Partnership76 Existing event. Cost for purchase $60.00

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of Passport: $59 (good for two people). 42 Wineries are included. To be entered into the raffle to win the prize on opening day, must go to the two set wineries in Eugene and get them checked off. Local wineries: Sweet Cheeks Winery and J. Scott Cellars. $60 worth of display items to publicize Oregon Wine Pass.

Ale Trail Passport

Existing event. Cost for passport is free, just need to print out online form pdf. 10 Breweries included. To be entered into the raffle to win the prize on opening day, must go to at least 5 breweries and get them stamped. $25 per Ale Train T-‐shirt (10) but discount given for $20 per shirt. $50 worth of display items to publicize Eugene Ale Trail

$250.00

Oregon Wine Pass and Brewery Passport grand prize 77 78 79

Wine Tasting: $120-‐140 (for 10 people) -‐ $312.45 Beer Tasting: $185 (10 people) Sweet Petites Platter $5 for two people ($10) 80 Average $20-‐30 per bottle

$497.45

Oregon Wine Pass and Brewery Passport Passport to send out to targeted audience (total of 200 people)

Passport including information of how to enter into the raffle and get involved with the Brewery Passport and Wine Pass

$300.74 (Postcard) $68.00 (Postage)

Activist Groups

Objective 1

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Social Media $0.00

Objective 2

Reddit AMA $0.00

Personalized letters to local downtown businesses (See Appx. 3)

FedEx 200 business postcards

$600.00

Personalized letters to members of the Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance

FedEx 200 business postcards

$600.00

Personalized letter to local downtown businesses and Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance postage cost

Postage cost for 400 total postcards

$136.00

TOTAL: $24,874.24

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Timeline Our timeline consists of recipes taken directly from the Whole Foods’ Pinterest account. These recipes were chosen from seasonal boards and were all recommendations for the time of the year. Incorporating specific recipes and providing the link will invite customers and potential consumers to engage with Whole Foods. These individuals will hopefully follow the Whole Food’s Pinterest account and share boards and recipes with others.

Date Platform Message

September 2015

9/1/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Beer-‐Poached Grilled Sausages” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

9/1/15 Eugene Magazine Full page advertisement of Whole Foods

9/3/15 Twitter/Facebook Tweet and fb post

9/4/15 Written letters Write letters to members of Willamette Valley sustainable food alliance encouraging loan program participation


9/7/15 Eugene Hop Valley Brews Cruise 5K Run

Sponsorship and 365 product booth

9/8/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Creamy Cucumber and Grilled Potato Salad” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



9/13/15 Whole Foods Blog Blog post about partnership with a local organization

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9/15/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Grilled Barbeque Chicken” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



9/22/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Grilled Caprese Salad” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



9/27/17 Media Pitch Pitch story about whole foods local producer loan program to Register Guard, Eugene Weekly and 1859 Magazine

9/29/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Grilled Salsa Drumsticks” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

October 2015




10/6/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Pumpkin Chia Smoothie” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



10/13/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Winter Squash Crostini” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

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10/20/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Pumpkin and Millet Muffins” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest


10/23/15 Media pitch Pitch story to KMTR, KVAL and KEZI about Whole Foods Foundation’s school garden and salad bar programs


10/27/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Honey Walnut Pumpkin Bread” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



November 2015


11/3/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Pigs in a Blanket” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

11/5/15 Twitter/Facebook/YouTube Disseminate multimedia video on YouTube. Add link to video on tweet and Facebook post.

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11/10/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Chocolate-‐Caramel Tart with Sea Salt” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest




11/17/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberry-‐Chipotle Dressing” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



11/24/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Pumpkin Pie” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



December 2015

12/1/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Espresso Pots de Creme” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest


12/2/15 Written letters Distribute personalized letters to downtown Eugene

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businesses. Encourage businesses to write op-‐ed piece on Whole Foods’ behalf


12/4/15 Reddit AMA announcement Distribute announcement regarding pending Reddit AMA to local Eugene/Springfield areas

12/5/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Eggnog Pie” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



12/12/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Chocolate Yule Log” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest




12/19/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Classic Gingerbread Cookies” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



12/26/15 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “White Hot Chocolate” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

12/28/16 Reddit Ask Me Anything live communication channel with

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Whole Foods representatives



January 2016


1/2/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Blood Orange Basil Gimlet” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



1/9/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Mini Crab Cakes” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest




1/16/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Butterbeer Jello Shots” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



1/23/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Polenta and Chicken Tartlets” on Whole Foods Market

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Pinterest



1/30/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Seven Layer Salad” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

February 2016




2/6/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Herb-‐Roasted Lobster and Steak” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest



2/13/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Strawberry-‐Filled Valentine’s Day Cupcakes” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest




2/20/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Red Velvet Crépes” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

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2/27/16 Twitter/Facebook Link to recipe for “Seared Scallops” on Whole Foods Market Pinterest

March 2016

3/1/16 Twitter/Facebook Tweet presenting the grand opening of Whole Foods Market

3/1/16 Beer Passport Customers bring in their passports showing attendance at local breweries for the chance into a lottery for free beer or wine tasting.

3/1/16 Eugene Magazine Full page advertisement of Whole Foods opening

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References 1 Whole Foods Market History. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company-‐info/whole-‐foods-‐market-‐history/ 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid. 7 Newsroom 1. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/fast-‐facts/ 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid. 10 Newsroom 2.(2015, January 1). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/history/ 11 Whole Foods Market, Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from https://www.google.com/finance?cid=656159 12 Ibid. 10 13 Ibid. 10 14 Ibid. 10 15 Ibid. 10 16 Seafood Quality Standards. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/seafood-‐quality-‐standardcs 17 Ibid. 16 18 Animal Welfare Basics. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-‐values/animal-‐welfare/animal-‐welfare-‐basics 19 Ibid. 16 20 Ibid 10. 21 About Our Benefits. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/careers/about-‐our-‐benefits 22 Ibid. 21 23 Why We're A Great Place To Work. (2015, January 1). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/careers/why-‐were-‐great-‐place-‐work 24 Ibid. 21 25 Ibid. 21 26 Ibid. 21 27 Ibid. 21 28 Ibid. 10 29 USDA 2. (2012, August). USDA Organic 101. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://apps.ams.usda.gov/organic/101/Organic101-‐Aug2012.pdf 30 USDA 1. (2013, January 1). Organic Food Trends. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.agmrc.org/markets__industries/food/organic-‐food-‐trends/ 31 Ibid. 29 32 Ibid. 29

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33 Topic: Organic Food Industry. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.statista.com/topics/1047/organic-‐food-‐industry/ 34 News Staff. (2014, July 30). Whole Foods to open in Eugene in 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2015, from http://www.kmtr.com/news/local/269289281.html 35 Ibid. 33 36 Adams, T. (2014, November 12). Whole Foods to open in Eugene in March 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2015, from http://www.kval.com/news/local/Whole-‐Foods-‐Eugene-‐March-‐2016-‐282523851.html 37 Ibid. 38 Ibid. 33 39 Ibid. 33 40 Brad, T. (2014, November 6). Whole Foods Is Losing Its ‘Whole Paycheck’ Reputation. Time. Retrieved February 23, 2015, from Whole Foods Is Losing Its ‘Whole Paycheck’ Reputation 41 Daniels, S. (2014, January 3). US organic food market to grow 14% from 2013-‐18. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.foodnavigator-‐usa.com/Markets/US-‐organic-‐food-‐market-‐to-‐grow-‐14-‐from-‐2013-‐18 42 Kafka, S. (2014, April 22). Whole Foods to Eugene? KEZI. Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.kezi.com/whole-‐foods-‐to-‐eugene/ 43 Brown, S. (2012, February 12). Eugene Weekly : Letters : 02.16.06. Eugene Weekly. Retrieved February 23, 2015. 44 Home Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com 45 Community Giving Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-‐values/caring-‐communities/community-‐giving 46 Quality Standards Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-‐our-‐products/quality-‐standards 47 Customer Service Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/customer-‐service 48 Personalized Health Starts Here. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/store/event/personalized-‐health-‐starts-‐here-‐shopping-‐experience-‐0 49 Featured Products Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-‐our-‐products/our-‐product-‐lines 50 Store List Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/list/state 51 Ibid. 21 52 Bluejay, M. (2013, January 1). Whole Foods Market: What's wrong with Whole Foods? Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://michaelbluejay.com/misc/wholefoods.html 53 Whole Foods Market Reviews. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.indeed.com/cmp/Whole-‐Foods-‐Market/reviews 54 Ibid. 52 55 Daniells, S. (2014, January 3). US Food Market to Grow 14% from 2013-‐18. Retrieved February 24, 2015.

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56 Tobias, L. (2006, May 28). Community Opposes Natural Foods Giant Whole Foods Building New Store in Eugene, Oregon. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/community-‐opposes-‐natural-‐foods-‐giant-‐whole-‐foods-‐building-‐new-‐store-‐eugene-‐oregon 57 Kafka, S. (2014, April 22). Whole Foods to Eugene? Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.kezi.com/whole-‐foods-‐to-‐eugene/ 58 Local Food. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.lanecounty.org/Departments/CAO/EconDev/Pages/LocalFood.aspx 59 Buckley, K. (2014, April 28). Repeating history: The Whole Foods debate in downtown Eugene. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.envisionjournalism.com/archives/4415 60 Laux, M. (2013, November 1). Organic Food Trends Profile. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.agmrc.org/markets__industries/food/organic-‐food-‐trends-‐profile/ 61 Ibid. 29 62 American FactFinder -‐ Results. (2010, January 1). Retrieved February 4, 2015, from http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF 63 Ibid. 32 64 50 and Over: What's Next? (2011, April 4). Retrieved February 23, 2015. 65 50 and Over: What's Next? (2011, April 4). Retrieved February 23, 2015. 66 Ricker, W. (n.d.). Get Involved in Eugene, Oregon. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://getinvolvedineugene.com/#Animals 67 U.S. Department of Commerce. (2012, January 1). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-‐bin/msanaic/msasect.pl 68 Brew Pubs & Breweries. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/restaurants/brew-‐pubs/ 69 Defining Emotional Appeal. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from https://www.boundless.com/communications/textbooks/boundless-‐communications-‐textbook/methods-‐of-‐persuasive-‐speaking-‐15/emotional-‐appeals-‐79/defining-‐emotional-‐appeal-‐305-‐5821/ 70 Whole Kids Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-‐values/caring-‐communities/whole-‐kids-‐foundation 71 http://www.city-‐data.com/zips/97401.html 72 Local Producer Loan Program. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-‐values/commitment-‐society/loan-‐program-‐details 73 Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance Home Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2015, from http://sustainableeugene.com/willamette-‐valley-‐sustainable-‐foods-‐alliance-‐newsletters/ 74 Corporate Wellness. (n.d.). Retrieved February 7, 2015, from http://level32racing.com/Corporate_Wellness.html 75 365 Everyday Value. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-‐our-‐products/product-‐lines/365-‐everyday-‐value 76 Welcome to Oregon Wine Country -‐ Oregon Wine Passport. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://oregonwinepass.com/

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77 Eugene Ale Trail Passport. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/eugene-‐ale-‐trail/redeem/ 78 Whole Foods on a Budget. (2014, April 8). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.cheapism.com/whole-‐foods-‐prices 79 Martin Bruni Liquor. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2015, from https://www.beermenus.com/places/8067-‐martin-‐bruni-‐liquor 80 Whole Foods Market Berkeley. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/shop/BRK/1989

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