Storytelling and Food

http://appetite.ketchum.com/content/finding-human-element-food-storytelling

So, how do you find the human element in your food story, and feed the craving the public has to better understand the people who stock their pantries and feed their families?   Consider these storytelling techniques: 

• Size Doesn’t Matter – Whether it’s a backyard garden, a local farm or a large regional operation, food is grown by people who do this work for a reason. It’s their chosen profession, and they’re probably passionate about what they do. Move beyond labels of “big,” “small” and “local” to focus on the individual people who make up your operation.    Like any good writer, probe for the “why?” Why do your people do what they do? What motivates them? This is the story local farmers tell so well.  
• Celebrate Your Heroes - Who is the protagonist in your story? Who are the “doers?” Read great stories about local farms and study the characters that make up the story. Heck, go back and read “Johnny Appleseed” again. There is often a strong personality at the center of a compelling food story with deep personal conviction who had a great idea or overcame a significant challenge. Who are the people in your operation who have those heroic qualities, and how can you highlight their work?  
• Drop the Jargon and Have a Conversation - One of the best things that advocates of the local food movement have done is to talk to people face-to-face at farmers markets and in the fields. By comparison, larger operations can tend to default to jargon or buzz words that are devoid of emotion. Food is perhaps one of the most passionate and evocative topics in any culture. Redline the buzz words and let the personal passion of “the doers” – your true believers and storytellers – drive the conversation.
• Broaden the Spotlight - The food product is important – but, food by itself is just organic matter. Stories are about people and communities, and in the end, the food is just a prop in the bigger storyline. Take a step back and observe the bigger story. What elements of the farm to table process would surprise or intrigue a consumer, and ultimately increase their enjoyment of the product? What might seem commonplace to you may be a revelation to your audience.  
• Understand the Audience – Most consumers are less interested in the politics of food, and more interested in whether the food is tasty, nutritious and safe to feed the family.   Consumers are seeking trust in an increasingly impersonal world. Several generations ago, we trusted the milk man to deliver the milk we needed to our doorstep. That desire to trust the people who feed our families has not changed. By highlighting the human element in your food story, you can go a long way towards building those bonds of trust.