If you read this blog often, you know we like highlighting what makes each state’s ag industry special. So imagine our enthusiasm when the Missouri Department of Agriculture asked us to help them share information about the diversity of the crops and livestock raised in their state.

(You can see more photos of this agricultural exhibit in our catalog.)

Diversity of Commodities, Diversity of Strategies

When it comes to engaging consumers, it can be hard to tell what’s going to work. Some people want to touch a display, others want to watch a video about the subject, and others just want to read a fact sheet. Missouri’s Department of Ag wanted to reach as many people as possible, so they asked for something with a variety of teaching strategies.

The design we came up with uses a multi-pronged approach. The front side of the Commodity Diversity display showcases the variety of ag commodities that Missouri farmers produce. Its monitor plays some short videos, each about a specific MO commodity, when visitors press the corresponding button. Above the monitor, a map of Missouri and a series of magnets lets people mark where each commodity is produced.

The other side of the display has a timeline of the history of agriculture in Missouri, going all the way back to 1725. If you’re just looking to pick up some quick facts, this is the place for you. And as a bonus, the timeline also looks like the pattern a tractor makes when plowing a field. We saw an opportunity to reinforce the agriculture theme, and we took it.

A standup display, showing magnetic map and video monitor, designed to educate consumers about the crop diversity of a given state
More than Missouri

While we were designing this display, we realized it could be useful beyond Missouri. So we built it to work for a variety of situations. For starters, the text and graphics are fully customizable, which means it doesn’t matter where the sponsoring ag group is located. We can put information about any state onto this display.

For seconds, as we mentioned, the display is engineered to appeal to all kinds of learners. There’s trivia or activities for everyone here. And with its imposing height of about 5.5 feet, the Commodity Diversity display is a great attention-getter. Because the monitor is mounted relatively low, though, it’s still plenty accessible to kids.

A strategy like this display’s gives you the best chance to plant seeds with a lot of consumers. What doesn’t catch one person’s attention is bound to catch someone else’s. And when you have a subject with as much variety as the ag industry, it only makes sense to reflect that variety in your teaching style.