Syngenta Thrive - 2Q/2013 - 10

ASK THE EXPERTS

digital tools

Social Studies
Syngenta helps customers go to the head of the class
by anticipating their online needs. | Interview by Tina Allen
Why do you think agriculture is quickly adopting
digital communication technologies?
Anthony Transou, Internet marketing manager,
Syngenta: Digital communications from a trusted source
such as Syngenta saves time and makes it easier to weed
through the mass of information available online. Digital
platforms also give users a way to share and learn from
others in the industry, whether they are around the corner
in their communities or across the globe. Agriculture is an
industry comprised of people on the move. Few people sit
behind a desk or in front of a computer all day, so one area
that’s particularly growing is the adoption of mobile usage.
With digital tablets and smartphones, growers and other ag
professionals can consume information in the cab of their
tractors, at their local coffee shops—practically anywhere
inside or outside their homes and offices.
How did Syngenta prepare for the challenge of
communicating with its customers digitally?
We started out doing a lot of listening to understand the types
of communications, social media platforms and technologies
our industry was already using. this process enabled us to
participate in the conversation in a meaningful way and create
our own digital platforms to fit the needs of the agriculture
community. We also thought about a mobile strategy very
early on so we could easily transition a lot of our content and
digital assets to some of the emerging technologies.
our current suite of digital assets is a result of our early
preparation to become an active participant in the digital

8 · thrive · 2Q/13

world. We have websites, such as ResistanceFighter.com,
that are specific to certain issues or platforms. We also have
FarmAssist.com, which is a one-stop shop for news,
market updates and the Syngenta portfolio. that particular
site has a mobile version (m.farmassist.com), so users can
get the same capabilities when they’re on the go as they do
on their desktops. We’re also adding online companions to a
lot of our print communication pieces, including Thrive magazine. this digital initiative allows us to reach a larger audience
and provide them with deeper, more interactive content.
What social media trends are on the horizon?
Video, video, video! We know that videos and photos are the
top content out there right now, as evidenced by the traffic to
such sites as Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. tools that
help manage all your platforms from one console—Hootsuite,
SocialBro and SproutSocial—are also important advances
in social media. they allow you to tap into relevant conversations and find the people whom you really want to engage
with, while filtering out those you do not. if you’re trying to
choose a social media management tool for your farm or
business, i’d recommend taking advantage of free offers or
cheaper subscription rates. that way, you can try out a tool
to make sure it’s the right one for you.
What is Syngenta doing to stay ahead of the
technology curve?
one of our key focuses is creating optimized content that
can spread across social channels and be consumed

Photo: Alex mAneSS; illuStrAtion: leticiA PlAte

Syngenta Thrive - 2Q/2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Syngenta Thrive - 2Q/2013