It’s no secret that Northern Soy Marketing (NSM) touts the superior quality of soybeans grown in its five member states – Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Nebraska.
To NSM, soy quality encompasses an array of criteria including, but not limited to, essential amino acid (EAA) content, foreign material, sustainability and availability. In August, NSM rebranded with a new logo, which was unveiled at Soy Connext in New York City, to better reflect its vision of shifting the soybean value paradigm from crude protein to nutritional value.
“The concept of the lock came to fruition as we brainstormed the true mission of NSM,” said Kristeena Thisius, director of marketing for Ag Management Solutions, which led the re-brand project. “NSM’s goal is to be an education hub for soy quality information, both through in-person visits and its digital presence.”
Previously, the logo focused on a single aspect of soy quality – EAA content. Because NSM encourages the adoption of critical amino acid value (CAAV), which measures protein’s quality versus quantity, the new tagline – “Unlocking knowledge of soy quality” – highlights the organization’s mission. CAAV is the sum of five critical essential amino acids – lysine, threonine, tryptophan, cysteine and methionine – as a percent of crude protein, allowing buyers to evaluate the natural balance and gross levels of limiting EAAs in the soybeans or soybean meal.
“Education is at the heart of NSM’s mission,” said NSM Chair Patrick O’Leary, who farms in Benson, Minnesota. “We want to connect with buyers and end users to provide them with the knowledge to make the best nutritional decisions for their livestock. The new logo reflects that.”
While working through the rebrand, careful attention was paid to NSM’s international audience.
“NSM’s target audience is primarily international customers, buyers and end users,” Thisius said. “This was top of mind through the entire re-brand – what is going to resonate?”
The new soyquality.com will be launched in the coming weeks, acting as the true education hub and resource center for international buyers, nutritionists and U.S. soybean farmers.