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| Photo credits: Forty North Oysters |
Sunsets and shoreline photos on Instagram are a dime a dozen. A close-up shot
of a fresh oyster from New Jersey is not.
Forty North Oyster Farm’s Instagram feed is
updated regularly with photos showing off the glistening sheen of wild oysters
and their distinctly textured shells. Matt Gregg, founder of Forty North Oyster
Farm, promotes his oyster farm the modern way, using social media platforms
including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the video hosting site Vimeo.
“It’s become my quest to grow the perfect oyster”
Gregg’s social media presence exudes a youthful vibe that most would not
typically associate with oyster farming. Its online content reflects a millennial
and current perspective on the fishing industry and this refreshing and unique
angle separates Forty North from other oyster farming competitors.
Companies use social media for marketing, promotional, or customer
service-related purposes, including Forth North Oyster Farm. However, Gregg’s
social media efforts give off a contemporary and distinctly savvy feel. The
image editing, quality, and overall aesthetics on its Instagram feed is
impressive.
So much so, that Modern Farmer magazine recruited Gregg to take over its
Instagram account for two weeks as a guest contributor. Gregg posted pictures
of oysters, the farming process, and even photos of himself on the job, giving
followers a first-hand look into Forty North Oyster Farm’s operations. Captions
are educational and fun – how to fry mud crabs, for example, or tidbits about
New Jersey marine culture.
Gregg cultivates the company’s image in ways that are appealing to other
millennials. Forty North Oyster Farm’s merchandise has the same
lightheartedness. A gray hooded sweatshirt, available for purchase on the
company’s website, says, “I’m Not a Playa’ I Just Shuck A Lot,” a witty play on
rapper Big Pun’s 1998 single “Still Not a Player.” According to Gregg’s caption
on an Instagram post for Modern Farmer, the sweatshirt is a hot item for
26-35-year-olds who recognize the hip-hop song.
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| Photo Credits: ModFarm |
Gregg is also featured in documentary-style trailer titled “Oyster Renaissance”
that showcases him farming oysters. His voiceover plays dramatically over
stunning footage of New Jersey oyster farming landscapes.
“It’s become my quest to grow the perfect oyster,” says Gregg in the video
clip. “I don’t think I’ll ever achieve that feat because, in this case, the
definition of perfect is open to interpretation.”
The video, hosted on Vimeo and linked on Forty North’s website, is another
dynamic way multimedia is incorporated to further curate the brand’s persona.
Gregg grew up in Monmouth County and graduated from University of Rhode Island
in 2007. The marine and coastal policy major founded Forty North Oyster Farm
out of a passion for aquaculture.
Today, Gregg continues to build Forty North Oyster Farm’s image and name
through social media. According its latest Instagram update on May 5, Forty
North farmers are harvesting oysters for spring 2016.
Oyster farming may be an unusual segment of social media but Gregg operates
platforms like Instagram and Vimeo in ways that relate to younger audiences.
The farmer possesses a keen sense of contemporary Internet culture and
showcases Forty North Oyster Farm with that lens. Witty captions and
high-resolution photos on Instagram are just a few of the components that keep
Gregg’s business afloat.
Serena Han recently graduated from Rutgers University as a
journalism & media studies major with a double minor in digital
communication, information, and media and Korean. She hopes to work in
entertainment media.
