Myth Or Fact? with Dr. Bill Biggfoote
Multi-channel myth-busting campaign turns complex agronomic insights into engaging, character-driven storytelling to boost awareness and consideration for CruiserMaxx® APX seed treatment.
CLIENT: Syngenta US (Crop Protection)
PROJECT TYPE: Integrated advertising campaign, branded educational content, content marketing
SERVICES PROVIDED: Creative strategy, creative concepting, copy direction, copywriting, scriptwriting
Project Details
THE CHALLENGE:
Soybean seed treatments are crucial to protect vulnerable seedlings early in the season, and growers currently have more than 140 seed treatment options — which makes product research overwhelming and brand recognition difficult. Studies showed a widening knowledge gap:
38% of soybean growers don’t know what’s applied to their seed
Only 12% treat their own seed
Although 56% of retailers sell Syngenta’s market-leading treatment, many growers don’t recognize the brand or realize they’re using it
On the heels of the recent launch of CruiserMaxx® APX seed treatment, Syngenta needed a differentiated campaign that could cut through technical noise, clarify the truth about soybean seedcare, and make this new brand memorable enough to sustain engagement across the season — not just at launch.
THE INSIGHT:
Soybean growers face ongoing confusion around seed treatment products, including misconceptions about generic options, protection levels, and overall value. To increase awareness and consideration for CruiserMaxx APX seed treatment, Syngenta needed to design a campaign that would debunk soybean seedcare misconceptions and help growers confidently choose a premium treatment in a crowded market.
THE IDEA:
If growers struggle to separate truth from misinformation, let’s bring in a myth expert!
We created Dr. William Biggfoote, a Sasquatch-style “Certified Myth Expert” and Ph.D. of agronomy, to investigate seedcare claims and separate soybean myth from farming fact. Inspired by the cultural familiarity of Mythbusters and our audience’s affinity for the outdoors, this playful yet recognizable character provided an unexpected but credible guide through our highly technical agronomic content.
By combining humor, storytelling, and real agronomic expertise (including appearances alongside Syngenta agronomists), this campaign could transform complex seed treatment education into memorable, shareable edutainment. This concept gave Syngenta a distinctive, repeatable platform that could scale across video, digital, events, and ongoing seasonal content.
THE EXECUTION:
This campaign was built as a scalable integrated platform, rolled out as a multi-phase, multi-channel program:
Video Series: A branded “Myth or Fact” video series featuring the Bill Biggfoote character addressed common seedcare misconceptions and reinforced CruiserMaxx APX’s benefits.
Social Campaign: Interactive posts and gamified formats (trivia-style myth vs. fact prompts, statistics, engagement-driven questions) sparked participation and sharing.
Direct Mail & Email: Scratch-off style creative invited growers to reveal hidden truths about seed treatment performance, creating a tactile and digital interaction tied to the myth-busting theme.
Trade Shows & Events: Character appearances, product demos, audience games, and photo opportunities extended the campaign into live environments and encouraged social sharing.
Advertorial/Educational Content: Myth-focused seedcare education pieces written in Bill Biggfoote’s voice deepened understanding while maintaining the campaign voice and personality.
THE IMPACT:
The Myth or Fact campaign left a BIG footprint across channels, dramatically exceeding client expectations and driving unprecedented grower engagement:
Video & Digital Performance
3,000+ video clicks (vs. 700 predicted)
5,000+ organic YouTube views, among the brand’s most-watched content in 2023
114,066 paid YouTube preroll views with a 63.7% view rate
5.95% average completed view rate across sponsored YouTube content
Social & Native Media
447,009 paid social impressions (+93K vs forecast)
2,777 Facebook clicks, 4× forecast, with .62% CTR (vs .15% expected)
3.8% Instagram engagement rate, the campaign’s strongest social channel
Native advertorial CTOR of .93%, outperforming popular ag content benchmarks
Email Performance
Introductory “Meet Bill Biggfoote” email achieved 66% CTR and 34% open rate
Follow-up emails exceeded Syngenta engagement benchmarks with 8%+ CTOR
Events & Qualitative
Myth or Fact displays became some of the most visited booth experiences at multiple national trade shows
Live trivia sessions drove strong grower participation and conversation
Growers actively asked about Bill Biggfoote after events, demonstrating strong character recall
The campaign’s cultural reach was notable enough that even a competitor jokingly referenced Bill at a field event
Overall, the program generated 847,000+ impressions across paid and organic media and successfully turned complex seedcare education into a memorable, high-engagement platform — strengthening awareness, sparking conversations, and supporting CruiserMaxx APX consideration ahead of purchasing decisions.
