John Deere is about more than just green hats.
It’s a brand that’s built a following worldwide among farmers, agriculture industry insiders and more by being more than just a supplier. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a community. It’s a tribe.
And it got there by creating what has been called “the world’s oldest content marketing.”
Launched in 1895, when one of John Deere direct descendants was still running the company, The Furrow is the magazine of record for the tractor maker. Its circulation peaked at more than 4 million in 1912, but even today it still reaches about 2 million readers worldwide, putting it in the same sphere as major print brands like Us Weekly, People and Sports Illustrated.
“Looking back at our archives, you can see the changes, from an advertorial, to a general agriculture journal with farming hints and reprinted articles that look a lot like the Farmers’ Almanac, to today’s magazine that tells farmers how to run their businesses,” Neil Dahlstrom, John Deere’s manager of corporate history, told Contently in 2013.
It’s lately added video, audio, digital content and more to the mix, but the soul of the publication remains intact.
Take a look at the brief video below on the history of the publication. It’s a fascinating case study on branding in the 19th century, that still holds up — and thrives — today.
