"Become a Farmer" Variety: A Review of Commercial Passwords to

Unlock the New Dimension of Agricultural Product Sales

Yunling Gong

1,*

, Shiqi Liu

and Jin Lu

School of Finance, Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance, Shanghai, China

Department of Management Science (Business Analytics Option), Wenzhou-Kean University, Zhejiang, China

School of Design, Arts and Media, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China

Keywords: Sales of Agricultural Products, Brand IP, E-Commerce Platform, Variety.

Abstract: The centerpiece of this study is a phenomenal variety show entitled "Become a Farmer". In the current

marketing environment for agricultural products, problems such as low brand awareness or ineffective

marketing strategies are common. In addition, insufficient attention has been given to how various programs

can stimulate agricultural product sales. The core research question is to explore the specific ways in which

"Become a Farmer" promotes the sales of farm products. To address this, the study adopts literature review

method. Through deep learning, the show drives sales through immersive essential marketing, creating an

attractive brand story and building effective traffic conversion mechanisms. In short, the research should help

to improve the agro-industrial chain, fill existing research gaps, and provide valuable theoretical and practical

reference material for new ideas on the economic development of farmers.These findings are expected to offer

valuable guidance to agricultural producers, sellers, and policymakers, facilitating the transformation of the

agricultural sales industry in the new media era.

1 INTRODUCTION

In the contemporary digital economy, digital

knowledge and information are crucial in production,

and modern information networks underpin

economic activities. As a result, the agricultural

product sales scenario has transformed remarkably.

The advent of e-commerce platforms has removed

geographical barriers in agricultural trade. In 2022,

China's online sales of agricultural products reached

533.8 billion yuan (Yu and Xu, 2023). Consumers are

getting used to buying produce on the Internet as e-

commerce platforms offer more choices and lower

prices.

In the context of agricultural products, many lack

a distinct brand identity. This absence of a well-

crafted brand IP makes it arduous for farmers and

agricultural enterprises to charge premium prices (Jia,

2024). Despite the widespread application of brand IP

theory in other industries, there is a dearth of research

specifically applying this theory to the branding of

agricultural products, especially in the context of new

media promotion. When it comes to the price -

formation mechanism, it is affected by production

costs, supply-demand imbalances, and insufficient

price regulation (Wang, 2022). Producers often find

it challenging to set stable and reasonable prices. The

4P theory (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) from

marketing theory can be used to analyze this issue. In

the case of agricultural products, the lack of effective

marketing strategies in terms of product positioning,

pricing, distribution channels, and promotion

methods exacerbates the problem. However, most

existing research on the 4P theory in the agricultural

sector focuses on traditional marketing channels, and

there is limited exploration of how these elements can

be optimized in the new media environment. With the

rise of new media, variety shows have emerged as a

powerful medium with great potential for promoting

agricultural product sales.

Nevertheless, the current academic and practical

research in this area is severely lacking. Most

marketing theory applications in the agricultural

product sales have concentrated on traditional

advertising, e-commerce platforms, and offline

promotions. There is a big gap in research in applying

marketing theories such as brand IP theory, 4P theory,

and consumer behavior theory to entertainment

programs that promote agricultural products. There

are few empirical studies on how diversity affects the

Gong, Y., Liu, S. and Lu, J.

"Become a Farmer" Variety: A Review of Commercial Passwords to Unlock the New Dimension of Agricultural Product Sales.

DOI: 10.5220/0013840900004719

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on E-commerce and Modern Logistics (ICEML 2025), pages 181-186

ISBN: 978-989-758-775-7

181

marketing of agricultural products, and there is no

understanding of the specific mechanism or validity

of promotion methods.

With the rise of new media, variety shows have

emerged as a powerful medium with great potential

for promoting agricultural product sales.

Nevertheless, the current academic and practical

research in this area is severely lacking. Most

marketing theory applications in the agricultural

product sales have concentrated on traditional

advertising, e-commerce platforms, and offline

promotions. There is a big gap in research in applying

marketing theories such as brand IP theory, 4P theory,

and consumer behavior theory to entertainment

programs that promote agricultural products. There

are few empirical studies on how diversity affects the

marketing of agricultural products, and there is no

understanding of the specific mechanism or validity

of promotion methods.

So this study aims to reveal how the variety

program "Become a Farmer" promotes agricultural

sales and to fill this gap. The core research question

is to understand how the show leverages scene-based

marketing, brand-story crafting, and traffic-

conversion mechanisms, drawing on relevant

theories, to drive agricultural product sales. Stage-

based marketing is an important aspect of marketing

theory, building an immersive scene about the

product in the performance. By doing so, we were

able to stir up emotion in the audience and motivate

them to buy. However, there is little research on

designing and effectively implementing stage-based

marketing to popularize agricultural products in breed

exhibitions. Based on brand IP theory, brand- story

crafting endows agricultural product brands with

emotional and cultural connotations, enhancing brand

attractiveness. However, few studies have

investigated how to create compelling brand stories in

the context of various shows to promote agricultural

products. The traffic transfer mechanisms that can be

analyzed by consumer behavior theory focus on the

conversion of program viewers into consumers of

agricultural products. Empirical studies on the

specific factors and strategies that have influenced

this transformation process are lacking in the context

of various programs for promoting agricultural

products. This paper will adopt the literature review

method, comprehensively collecting, reading, and

analyzing relevant literature. It will conduct an in-

depth content analysis of "Become a Farmer" to

identify the show's marketing elements. Applying

brand IP theory, 4P theory, and consumer behavior

theory will explore how these elements promote

agricultural product sales. Finally, conclusions will

be drawn to summarize the research findings and their

implications for upgrading the agricultural industry

chain.

2 CHALLENGES AND

CONSTRAINTS IN

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT

SALES

In the current pattern of agricultural development, the

marketing of agricultural products has exposed many

problems. A series of severe challenges and deep-

seated constraints are becoming stumbling blocks to

the high-quality development of agricultural

economy. It needs to be deeply analyzed and solved.

Domestically, China's economic development and

rising living standards have contributed to the

continuous expansion of the agricultural product

market. The sector comprises diverse market

participants, including individual farmers,

agricultural enterprises, and cooperatives.

Furthermore, traditional agricultural product

suppliers are increasingly adopting e-commerce

platforms, intensifying market competition through

various digital sales channels. Internationally, while

China's agricultural exports have remained stable

overall, since 2019, the sector has experienced

consecutive years of negative growth. The export of

key agricultural products has been impacted by

multiple disruptions, including production halts,

declining global demand, limited international

shipping capacity, and soaring freight costs. Research

indicates that the primary constraints on agricultural

product sales include insufficient brand development

and promotion, as well as inefficiencies in the price

formation mechanism. These challenges significantly

hinder marketing competitiveness and the sustainable

development of the agricultural sector. As a unique

communication paradigm, brands aim to build a trust

relationship with consumers. Their personal

characteristics constitute the cornerstone for

consumers to identify and establish connections with

various products or services. The process of creating

and implementing a brand, that is, brand promotion,

is a highly complex and dynamic field of knowledge.

It must fully consider the factors such as market

positioning, consumer psychology, competitive

situation, communication channels, etc (Natalya et al.,

2020). David A. Aaker's Brand Equity Model (1991)

remains a foundational framework in brand

management, categorizing brand equity into five

dimensions: Brand Awareness, Perceived Quality,

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Brand Association, Brand Loyalty, and Other

Proprietary Assets. Brand equity represents a

collection of tangible and intangible assets tied to

brand names, logos, and associated perceptions,

which can enhance or diminish product value. In

2022, the output of agricultural products under

regional public brand of agriculture in China

increased by nearly 55% compared with 2012, and the

sales volume rose by nearly 80%. This led to a 65%

increase in the income of local farmers. However,

many agricultural product brands do not fully

consider their resource advantages, target market

needs and consumer preferences. It results in the same

brand positioning and difficulty standing out in the

market. The brand of agricultural products is

insufficient in the aspects of visual image, brand story

and cultural connotation. There are serious

shortcomings in the exploration and shaping of

cultural connotations They do not have accurately

positioned based on scientific market research and

analysis. They also have not been able to deeply

explore the unique values and personal characteristics

of the products, such as unique planting technology,

regional characteristics, historical heritage, etc. This

makes the brand lacks the support of its profound

cultural heritage, making it difficult to establish

lasting and stable emotional connections and

cognitive preferences in the hearts of consumers.

Thus, they fail to form lasting vitality and strong

market competitiveness. Meanwhile, there are many

well-known agricultural product brands in specific

areas. These brands compete with each other in the

market. However, due to the lack of effective market

norms and guidance, it disturbs the order of the brand

market to a certain extent and increases the

complexity and disorder of market competition

(Liang, 2020).

Another critical issue is the flawed agricultural

product pricing mechanism, which creates substantial

barriers to sales. Agricultural prices are influenced by

various factors, including market supply and demand

dynamics, production costs, and policy interventions.

However, the current pricing system struggles to

reflect these variables accurately and in real time. The

price volatility of agricultural products in China

exhibits strong cyclical patterns. Since 1978,

agricultural prices have undergone seven distinct

fluctuation cycles, each varying in duration, intensity,

and unpredictability. Among agricultural goods,

vegetables exhibit particularly high price volatility.

For instance, spinach prices are among the most

unstable, with a 40.38% probability of experiencing

price fluctuations exceeding 30%, whereas garlic

prices remain more stable, with only a 1.82%

probability of fluctuations exceeding 30%. On the

one hand, agricultural product production has

seasonal and cyclical characteristics with long

production cycle and high adjustment difficulty.

When market demand suddenly changes, it is difficult

for the products supply to respond quickly. This

results in the severe price fluctuations. On the other

hand, the production costs cover seeds, fertilizers,

pesticides, labor, etc. These costs fluctuate frequently

in different years and regions, but the mechanism fails

to fully consider its changes. It causes the prices to

differ from the actual value. At the same time,

although policy regulation has played a certain role in

stabilizing agricultural product prices, there is still a

delay and different standards in the implementation.

It is difficult to stabilize price fluctuations accurately,

which further aggravates the instability of prices and

brings many uncertainties to the sales. Developing

different agricultural product prices according to

different consumer groups is the basis for maximizing

benefits. We must grasp the groups and consumption

levels fundamentally, providing them with

corresponding products and services, and formulate

prices to meet the purchasing preferences and the

market needs (Acharya, 1997).

3 IP SHAPING AND

CONSTRUCTING EMOTIONAL

CONNECTION OF AUDIENCE

3.1 Growth Entertainers Cultivating

Mode

The reality show "Become a Farmer" is the first large-

scale work documentary variety reality show with the

theme of farming in China. It recorded a team of 10

unknown guys in the entertainment industry growing

up from "farming beginners" to new farmers. In recent

years, the agricultural modernization level of China

has been increasingly growing, which led to the

decrease of traditional manual work. A great number

of agricultural practitioners swarm into cities and

promotes the process of urbanization instead.

Therefore, as an agriculture-related work

documentary variety show, "Become a Farmer"

brought a feeling of freshness to audience living in the

society with urbanization and modernization as the

main tone. They were not familiar with soil, weather

at all during the beginning of the show. Then they

were working like the exact farmers and achieved

helping farmers eventually. Different form some other

life variety shows, "Become a Farmer" selected guests

"Become a Farmer" Variety: A Review of Commercial Passwords to Unlock the New Dimension of Agricultural Product Sales

183

without fame in the entertainment industry. Through a

series of interactions like vlogs, Weibo community

and live broadcast, audience can witness the steps of

their growth thoroughly. Just as the incentive of

"Cultural Participation" can make media content no

longer distributed by specific media producers,

consumers can construct, conformity, rebuild, share

and spread via websites, social media and Internet

platform instead (Hao, 2017).

The show encouraged audience engagement by

prompting them to share personal farming experiences

and create dedicated social media entries.

Additionally, through interactive games and events on

social and e-commerce platforms, audiences were

provided with opportunities to contribute to the

program's narrative, thereby deepening their

emotional investment and engagement.

Filmed continuously for two seasons spanning

approximately 400 days, the program meticulously

documented the personalities and interpersonal

dynamics of its cast. Each participant exhibited

distinct characteristics, yet they cooperated and

complemented one another throughout various

challenges. Events such as "Transporting 30 Tons of

Organic Fertilizer", "Unfolding 4,000 Pots of Roses"

and "Tree Planting in Minqin" highlighted their

evolving teamwork and individual growth. Conflicts -

whether natural or strategically edited by the

production team - added layers of authenticity,

enhancing the audience's immersive experience.

French literary theorist Denis Diderot emphasized that

compelling theatrical plots should be dynamic, with

character conflicts and interests intersecting to create

dramatic tension (Diderot, 2008). Unlike scripted film

and television productions, reality shows capitalize on

audience curiosity about celebrities' authentic

personalities and emotions, particularly when

conflicts, resolutions, and character development

unfold organically

3.2 Brand New IP Driving Audience’s

Feeling and Commercial Potential

This passage considers that despite the sincerity and

diligence of guests and programme groups, there are

still several reasons for the popularity of "Become a

Farmer". The first is that this show choose

"Agriculture" as a basic tune. Agriculture is the

primary industry and basic industry of national

economy in China. It presents strong sense of gravitas

and weight, which reveals a strong "Sense of conflict"

against entertainment show. While agriculture is also

a traditional industry in China, most audience have

experienced it personally or mediately during their

growth. In this way, they can generate resonance and

curiosity to a "Farming" variety inevitably. They are

curious about how can 10 beginners learn to do farm

work and whether they are making a show firstly.

Then they are really caring about the significance of

agriculture. As China has always been a big

agricultural country ever since, there is a feeling for

land rooted in everyone’s heart. Fei Xiaotong pointed

out in "From the Soil" that society of China was native

soil described from basic level (Fei, 2019). The

popularity of this show precisely verified audience’s

curiosity and familiarity of agriculture, along with

recognition of cultural identity of farming culture.

"Become a Farmer" broke the routine as a variety

show. During the recording of the program, an

agricultural development Co., LTD called "Ten

Diligent Guys" (which sounds like 10 suns in Chinese)

was set up due to Dunhao Jiang's proposal and was

conferred by all the 10 guests. The guests took "Ten

Diligent Guys" as a new brand and made a series of

innovation and attempt. This mode showed audience

and other corporation strong commercial potential and

social impact. "Ten Diligent Guys" was a brand new,

highly personalized IP witnessed by the user. The

word "IP" is an abbreviation of "Intellectual Property",

meaning intellectual property, referring to the

subject's exclusive right to the intellectual property it

creates (Xin, 2003).

As per Levitt's product life cycle theory (Levitt,

2004), the IP associated with "Ten Diligent Guys"

transitioned from its introduction stage to the growth

stage as the show gained visibility and traction. By

engaging in philanthropic initiatives such as farmer

assistance programs and community-driven social

campaigns, the brand cultivated a highly loyal

consumer base, differentiating itself from traditional

agricultural brands and celebrity-endorsed ventures.

The strong emotional connection fostered among fans

effectively propelled "Ten Diligent Guys" into the

maturity stage, cementing its status as a sustainable

and marketable IP.

Understanding audience expectations and the

evolving IP community is critical to maintaining

engagement and long-term viability (Yuan, 2017).

Fans were not only spectators but active participants,

engaging with supplementary content through behind-

the-scenes footage, Weibo interactions, live

streaming, giveaways, and merchandise sales. This

interactive dynamic allowed audiences to derive

personal fulfillment from their participation, thereby

reinforcing their emotional attachment to the brand.

Consequently, "Ten Diligent Guys" emerged as a

highly valuable commercial and cultural IP. Its

influence extended beyond the program itself, as

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evidenced by the transformation of the filming

location into a popular tourist destination. Capitalizing

on this momentum, local authorities strategically

invested in tourism development. On 2023

Conference on Quality Development of Culture and

Tourism established by West Lake district, Hangzhou,

a culture and tourism programme “Ten Diligent Guys

- Farming Planet” based on this IP received a total

investment of 380 million yuan. At the same time, the

authority planned to build an agriculture, culture and

tourism experiencing base in Sandun town, West Lake

district. It will be a new landmark consisting of

restaurants and fairs for parent-children interaction in

Yangtze River Delta region (Zhou, 2024). This IP is

used to promote some advertisement and helping-

farmer live likewise. It brings considerable economic

benefit and attention to advertisers, Cultural and

Tourism Bureau and agriculture from various regions.

4 CONVEYING THE REAL

VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL

PRODUCTS

The variety program "Becoming a Farmer", in the

form of a documentary, systematically presents the

production, ecology, and cultural values of

agricultural products and builds a basis for

recognizing the multifaceted values of marketing

agricultural products.

4.1 Production Value: Strengthening

Consumers' Understanding of the

Labor Value of Agricultural

Products

This program describes the production process of

agriculture in detail. Planting rapeseed indicates that

the soil is preparing to fight, such as breaking the soil

and sowing the seeds correctly. Noteworthy is the

natural way to control the parasites. The rim shrimp

model always shows daily tasks such as monitoring

water quality and supplying enough shrimp and food.

You can see the arduous journey vividly through the

agricultural scene. This will make them more willing

to price their products. Exclusive videos showcasing

unique agrarian techniques to improve consumer

understanding of labor and buying opportunities (Ren

and Li, 2024). Research on the use of information and

communication technology (TIC) in agricultural sales

also shows that visualization of production processes

significantly increases consumers' understanding of

the value of work. The findings align with the

project's strategy of relaying agricultural details in

real time (Banu et al., 2017).

4.2 Ecological Value: Promoting the

Concept of Green Agriculture and

Expanding the Product Premium

Space

Based on the principle of sustainability, organic

agriculture emphasizes not using synthetic fertilizers

or pesticides. This is in line with the idea of green

marketing, in which consumers increasingly opt for

greener products (Yao et al., 2025). The rice-shrimp

farming model exemplifies ecological balance,

reinforcing the premium perception of organic

agricultural products (Wang, 2022).

4.3 Cultural Value: Constructing

Brand Narratives and Expanding

Market Boundaries

Agricultural products have become cultural symbols

through brand value theory. The "Ten Diligent Guys"

share stories of generations-old - old local shrimp-rice

farming traditions, including related festivals and

rituals. Researchers explained the origin of "shrimp

heals ocean". This is a traditional holiday. People are

grateful for the blessings of nature. As part of the

festival, villagers could celebrate in a big way and

participate in the harvest. Stories like this convey a

sense that agricultural products are connected to

breasts. By doing so, it becomes not just food but

something that evokes emotions and memories (Xie

and Zhang, 2024). The "live + variety show" model

analyzed by 4I theory analyzes the direct interaction

with the audience. Guests answer questions, share

experiences, and offer virtual farm Tours. The multi-

dimensional content output of the variety, including

social media and behind-the-scenes content,

strengthens the connection of the brand culture (Liu

and Li, 2024). In terms of functional value, a cultural

story gives consumers a good understanding of the

source or features of the product, which can enhance

the product's credibility. From the level of emotional

value, these factors bring emotional resonance to

consumers, enabling them to choose specific products.

Spread the country's culture to society and increase

the brand's awareness and beauty. Overall brand

value increases. This transforms products into items

with emotional value, expanding the market audience

(Duan and Zhao, 2024).

5 CONCLUSIONS

Despite the rapid growth of online and offline

agricultural product sales, challenges persist,

including insufficient brand development, inadequate

"Become a Farmer" Variety: A Review of Commercial Passwords to Unlock the New Dimension of Agricultural Product Sales

185

consumer insights, and unstable pricing mechanisms.

By analyzing "Become a Farmer", this study

highlights how variety shows can serve as effective

platforms for agricultural branding and sales

expansion. The findings suggest that future programs

should incorporate in-depth product storytelling,

strengthen e-commerce collaborations, and prioritize

long-term brand development to optimize agricultural

marketing strategies. As the integration of variety

shows and agriculture continues to evolve, innovative

models are expected to emerge, contributing to the

transformation and advancement of the agricultural

industry.

AUTHORS CONTRIBUTION

All the authors contributed equally and their names

were listed in alphabetical order.

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