The recent online uproar surrounding Bovaer – a feed additive designed to reduce methane emissions from cattle – created a social media storm. It became so emotive many felt compelled to post themselves on TikTok pouring away perfectly good milk to protest a trial they scarcely understood.
This act of defiance was not only misguided, but indicative of a broader issue: the rapid pace at which misinformation can spread in the digital age, with real-world consequences for the food and drink sector. And it’s only going to get worse.
Our culture is chock-full of stories warning us of the potential dangers that accompany scientific discovery. Mad professors, egotistical inventors and extreme modernisers foolishly meddling with the laws of nature, intent on pushing humanity beyond our limits, always paying the price.
And it’s not just in the world of fiction these tales are widespread – for hundreds of years, cultural scepticism of the unfamiliar has successfully infiltrated our groupthink. Vaccinations, evolution, anaesthesia, atomic energy, seatbelts and IVF are just some of the many advancements shouted down by contemporaries that we now take for granted.
In the 1990s GMOs were furiously opposed by many on environmental, health and ethical grounds. Fast-forward a few decades, and a 2019 Eurobarometer survey revealed the majority of Europeans are indifferent to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) when the subject is not directly addressed. In just nine years, the level of concern has halved in 28 EU member states.
Diffusion of innovation
As with all things, there’s a discernible pattern to the eventual acceptance of new scientific discoveries. Everett Rogers’ ‘diffusion of innovation’ theory set out how we often follow a trajectory from initial resistance or uproar to gradual understanding and eventual approval.
Rogers published his thesis in 1962 – clearly a lot has changed since then. Not least the rise of populist politicians across the west. They’ve been given wide reach by the ubiquitousness of social media, which has dramatically mutated and confused how we’ve historically adopted new ideas and technologies. Instead of accelerating acceptance, it’s turbocharged the spreading and indoctrination potential of fake news.
Its impact on consumer behaviour will likely grow in significance. We can see it clearly in action with the Bovaer backlash – fringe views are given equal prominence on social media, joining populists with the power to amplify or distort communication channels that are central to our process of embracing the latest game-changing discoveries. They impact how quickly and widely they’re accepted.
Imagine a world where Norman Borlaug’s life-saving innovations weren’t released in the 1950s, but the 2020s. His modified wheat launched at a time when social media trolls, bots and state agitators were working around the clock to destabilise authority figures. Investors may have fled, regulators may have hesitated, consumers and governments may have rejected his discovery – and upwards of a billion lives could have been lost as a result.
The next great leaps forward are already here, yet to break into mainstream awareness.
Genome editing to butter revolution
CRISPR-based genome editing is a field that’s moving very quickly. The technology allows scientists to change the genetic make-up of organisms by making targeted breaks in DNA, and then harnessing its natural repair processes to modify the gene in the desired manner.
The Innovative Genomics Institute is using it to target the methane-producing microbes in bovine stomachs. Given that methane is a significant contributor to global warming, CRISPR’s ability to modify these gut microbiomes could be a game-changer in reducing agricultural emissions. Why wouldn’t that fall foul of a Bovaer-like barrage?
Genetically edited crops entering the market now are expected to see a surge in yields over the coming years, leading to food price deflation – a life-changing opportunity for low and middle-income countries, potentially leading to better access to basic staples. Will it be engulfed in an exponentially larger social media storm than the GMO debate of the 1990s?
A California-based startup, Savor, claims to have revolutionised butter production without using any dairy products. The company uses a thermochemical process to convert carbon dioxide from the air into fats that mimic the taste and texture of traditional butter. Supported by Bill Gates, its products will begin distribution in the next year or two – along with, undoubtedly, a furore about the impact it’ll have on ‘natural’ food production.
These, and many more in-train innovations, are ripe for misinformation – they align perfectly with cultural expectations of aggressive academics, the erosion of tradition, and undermining of the natural order. They amplify entirely sensible worries about chemicals and additives in our food, stoking them into all-encompassing fears that must be shared widely.
As their own products embrace innovation, food and drink producers need to brace themselves against activist trolls and ill-informed political panderers.
Three golden rules
In our networked age, there are three golden rules to follow. The first is that who you are is as important as what you do – for effective communication in polarised debates, it’s important for brands to show they share the same values as their audiences.
The second rule to remember is that passions and influencers spread ideas. It’s vital to use emotional, personal, and surprising content to cut through the fake news. The importance of storytellers having expertise, warmth and similarity to their audience is particularly powerful.
And finally, arguments are never won, outcomes are. Consumers tend to reject challenges to their perspective, even when presented with verifiable facts. So don’t tell people they are wrong – it’s far better to communicate positively as early and as frequently as possible. The longer you leave it, the harder it is to shift entrenched false ideas.
These sceptical storms have always existed, but we now exist in a context where they will almost certainly grow in frequency and ferocity. If defensive action is taken, I am confident they can be weathered.
Mario Creatura is the director of public affairs at The MHP Group
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