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FROM THE BOARD by Kathleen Triou, vice persident, domestic marketing The Diamond Standard Using the right data to influence decision making with multiPle taRGet auDienCes, a push for innovation across all programming and multiple sources of data vying for attention, how does the united states Potato board’s (usPb’s) Domestic marketing team make sense of all this information to create its annual plans? the answer: we follow the Diamond standard. the Diamond standard is a custom approach developed to ensure we start with the right data to influence our decision making and ending with measurable results. the Diamond standard keeps us on track as we strive to create synergies across marketing disciplines (i.e., advertising, public relations, retail programming, innovation, etc.) and to ensure all our work ladders up to address our target audience. we call her “linda” (moms 25–54 with kids in the home), either directly or indirectly through multiple points of influence (foodservice, retail, nutrition, etc.) in her life. looking at the graphic below, you can see that we start with “Data”—all sorts of data. Research and its resulting insights are where we begin the strategic process of designing our program. all our tactical activities are grounded in strategy and insights gleaned from our data. Data is both forward- and backward-looking. Forward-looking data would be studies like our recent ethnography study, which helps us better understand our target consumer and, thus, helps us do a better job selecting activities and messages that are relevant to “linda.” backward-looking data would be things like our supermarket scantrack data, which allows us to observe sales performance or testing results, for example. we leverage both kinds of data in our plan development. the “engine” of this process includes “Data interpretation” and “innovation.” a constant and ever-present drive for innovation across all activities keeps the program fresh and new, while grounding the innovation in things “linda” cares about through the knowledge gleaned via data interpretation. innovation is top- of-mind in creative execution, message development, the linking of programs across target audiences, researching innovative opportunities and the maximization of asset development. a program grounded in data, coupled with an insatiable drive for innovation must be communicated to the right audiences, in the right way and in the right places. “message Flow” ensures due diligence is given to the creation of clear, consistent message content across target audiences. we speak directly to “linda,” but we also speak to consumer media, foodservice, retail, nutrition influencers, food manufacturers and the industry. these audiences also speak to “linda” through their respective channels, resulting in a surround-sound effect around “linda,” consisting of our key messages throughout her paths to purchase. the bottom point of the diamond makes our final point, which is about “Results.” nothing is worth doing if it cannot be measured. we measure all our programming to ensure a positive return on our investment as well as to help us learn and improve for future execution. all our activities must impact our ultimate measurement of improving “linda’s” attitudes and, thus, usage of potatoes in order to better the category’s performance in the long-term. PG www.potatogrower.com 37