Frenship High School marketing students are taking on a unique challenge by creating marketing strategies for cricket-based products. In a creative and engaging lesson, Business, Marketing, and Finance teacher Rachel Albritton introduced her marketing students to the concept of cricket-based products. The lesson aimed to practice branding and develop marketing strategies for a product that isn’t yet mainstream in the United States.
“The assignment’s goal is to think about a marketing strategy as well as narrowing a target market for the product,” said Albritton. “We will be creating a "marketing mix" for a cricket product. The marketing mix is a marketing idea where businesses create a strategy examining all of the parts to bring a new product to market.”
The lesson began with Albritton reading an article highlighting the environmental benefits of insect consumption.
“Insect farming has a much lower environmental impact compared to traditional livestock. They need less food, water, and space, making them more eco-friendly,” said Albritton.
After discussing the sustainability of crickets, Albritton surprised her students by tasting a cricket snack.
“The students had a lot of fun with the lesson talking about the idea of bringing cricket protein or any edible insects into the mainstream US market. The students LOVE to see Mrs. Albritton eat a bug," said Albritton.
The students embraced the assignment, showcasing their creativity by brainstorming innovative product ideas such as cricket protein powder, cricket cakes, and crunchy cricket bites.
Albritton believes hands-on lessons like this are essential for fostering engagement and learning.
“We learn about marketing strategy and branding strategies at the same time.”
The students had lively discussions about the future of cricket protein in the U.S. market.
“Most thought we are a long way from eating actual bugs at a meal, but close to using them for protein powder,” Albritton shared.
Some students even tried cricket products and expressed willingness to incorporate them into their diets in the future.
Through this exciting lesson, Albritton's students not only learned valuable marketing skills but also explored sustainable food sources, sharing the message, “Eat crickets, save the planet. A sustainable food source for our dwindling resources and growing world population!”