Maggot Marketing Challenge

[rolivier79]

Dear Forum Members:

I would like to get your opinion on how to name the BSF larvae.

Because words like larvae and maggots immediately  conjure strong images of disease bearing flies, I feel that it makes sense to "brand" them in a more benign vocabulary. Simple word choice can cast a very different public opinion/stigma of an insect. eg Caterpillars are not perceived the same way as if we referred to them as the larval form of a moth or butterfly.

So some of you might have noticed that I prefer using the word "grub" when describing BSF. It's amazing but using the words like grub and colony sparks a novices' imagination and curiosity within seconds. While words like maggot and larva tend to alienate most uninitiated and it becomes very difficult to get them to envision and  grasp the benefits you are trying to explain. Don't get me wrong... words like maggot make excellent "tabloid like" attention grabbing headliners, but they don't motivate people to start composting with "grubs".

Also I realize that the word grub by itself is not perfect as many gardeners try to eradicate those grubs that eat roots. however, I am convinced that grubs are a better word choice then maggots.

I welcome any creative suggestions and feedback on how to name or brand:

1. Which one of the following names best describes a beneficial insect that you can feed to birds, fish and herps without giving people the impression that they eat the roots in your garden?
- Soldier Grubs
- Compost Grubs
- Meal Grubs
- BSF Grubs
- BioGrubs
- Prota Grubs
- ... (any and all suggestions Welcome)

2. What verb best describes the process of transforming your food waste to value added proteins and insects?
- bioconversion of putrescent waste
- grub composting
- prota composting
- biogenic protein conversion
- food waste morphology
- ... (any and all suggestions Welcome)

Robert

[vermontworms]

Of your suggestions, I like "bio grubs" and "grub composting" (even though it's not really composting in the traditional sense).  I agree, it's a marketing challenge.  Red wiggler compost worms are a tough enough sell for many folks, and I'd have to say that BSFL are even trickier.  Especially when you see how ravenous they are in eating...

[rolivier79]

Thanks, I really appreciate input. I agree with grub composting 100%

I'm still on the fence about bio grubs. Sounds good, but somehow it comes across as commercialized... everything is bio these days. biogrubs from a biopod™ ... get my drift.

[vermontworms]

I agree, "BioGrubs" does sound a little too generic and just going along with the "green"/"bio"/"eco" branding these days.  

Honestly, I think you'd be best to avoid the term "grub" altogether if you can  "Grub" is certainly better than "maggot" or "fly larvae", but it still has negative connotations.   I'd suggest sticking with "worm".  It's already used for a number of things that aren't really worms, including mealworms and Ph0enix worms.

Why not take a cue from the Ph0enix worms folks and just make something up?  If you go that route, I'd suggest something that implies how quickly BSFL handle scraps.

Whatever you do, you need to use consistent language for the critters themselves and the process of composting with them.  If they wind up being "Dallas Worms", it should be "Dallas Worm Composting" or "Dallas Worm Bioconversion".

"Bioconversion" may be better than "composting".  What you're doing really isn't composting.  It might be nice to use a less common word, if for no reason other than having a higher chance of people finding you via Google.  "Composting" produces 4,560,000 results in Google, while "bioconversion" produces only 264,000.

And... you better decide and start being consistent soon.  You've got a very narrow window of time to control the language.  Once more people jump in and start writing blogs and such, your chance to brand it as you like will evaporate.

[lacabriole]

How about G cubed  (Gluttonous Green Grub) or g squared grub
Or ABC grub(Amazing Biogrub Composter grub)
Or P cubed grub (Putrescent Purifying Phenonmenon Grub) or P squared grub (Putrescent Purifying Grub).

These may be off the wall but I was thinking with something like this it would be easy to come up with something catchy and easy to trademark, as it were.

De

[Lumenos]

- Soldier Grubs
- Compost Grubs
- Meal Grubs
- BSF Grubs
- BioGrubs
- Prota Grubs
- ... (any and all suggestions Welcome)

That is about how I would order them; best names being at the top, but for second place I would say "BSF Grubs". That is, unless Dr. Shepard would be up for a link exchange, but you're likely his worst enemy in the economic sense. Before long Ebay will probably be full of "soldier grubs".

Worm Man has the second Google hit on "Phoenix Worm" and they are already pretending to marketing "soldier grubs". Interesting, I just checked there and their page on Phoenix Worms now only links to a forum they are trying to start. http://www.wormman.com/cat_phoenix.cfm (I was going to buy from there but after going through the whole rigamoral I found that there was no option to pay with PayPal, as was claimed, only send a check. I hate that! Worm Man has horrible reviews, even in the forums hosted on their own site.)

"Soldier grub" gets about 214 Google hits. (Oh looky there, Lumeniki [my wiki] made it to the first results page.) '"BSFL" "soldier fly"' gets 372. I'd say "soldier grub" is catching on already.

"Compost grubs" is too general. There are other grubs that might be used for composting. (I was thinking of seeing if any would breed easily indoors to keep them away from raccoons. For example, flightless fruit fly larva.)

I don't think you should try so hard to avoid the ick factor, through naming. Critter-phobes are probably not gonna be interested in your product anyway. BioPods are not for moms or teachers to get for their kids' science fair. It is out of their price range. They are for people who love this kind of stuff. "Grub" is more accurate than "worm". Worms can be parasites just like grubs can be "maggots" but potential customers will probably figure you are using benign grubs. I would deal with the ick factor through education. Make it easy to find the information about the real environmental health benefits of BSFL. I'd start with the Wikipedia.

2. What verb best describes the process of transforming your food waste to value added proteins and insects?
- bioconversion of putrescent waste
- grub composting
- prota composting
- biogenic protein conversion
- food waste morphology
- ... (any and all suggestions Welcome)

I think "grub composting" would have to be the first choice, mainly for accuracy.

"Putrescent" sounds more icky than necessary. "Bioconversion of kitchen waste" implies this is more than just composting, but again, it is too general. There are many ways to bioconvert kitchen waste, for example, turn it into poultry eggs. And we are really stretching the definition of bioconversion; this usually refers to using microorganisms or plants to make a non-living product.

There may be a scientific term for what is done by detritivores, worms, grubs or whatever.

[joejelly]

Person to person I refer to them as my worms. "You know, like mealy worms." Mealy worms are just larva as well.


Howa about "pre-pupal soldier dude grubby ducks?"

Joe Barfield
San Antonio, TX
bsf will save the world. Or at least a piece of it.

[GW]

Howdy Joe Barfield! I see you haven't gotten serious about too much yet.

I vote grublarvamaggots. 

[Bunnylady3]

Well,  my 8 year old came up with "Mini Munchers".  And I agree, that is excatly what they are. At our house THEY munch and they GET munched by our chickens.  Munch ,munch, munch.....  It just sounds yummmy huh?

We will be marketing them as such in the spring of 2010 to locals.
I am a MOM of 2 and can tell you that Moms love Munchers. THere is somthing satisfying in putting all the scraps to good use. I just can't get enough of them.  And it is truely green.  I am so tired of all the "GREEN" this and that. But here is somthing that is really incredible, natural and benifical. 

So,please.  If you like it let me know.