# Land O’Lakes CMO on Cultural Moments

> Land O’Lakes CMO shares how to sell cultural moments without losing farm co-op roots.
- Title: Land O’Lakes CMO on Cultural Moments · Adweek | Shortify
- Summary: Land O’Lakes CMO shares how to sell cultural moments without losing farm co-op roots. Land O’Lakes CMO Heather Malenshek explains how to authentically engage…
- Keywords: land olakes, heather malenshek, cultural moments, farm co-op, modern rural collective, rooted in tomorrow, rural broadband, tiktok, Land, Lakes, CMO, Cultural
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/brand-marketing/land-olakes-cmo-reveals-how-to-sell-cultural-moments-fit-for-a-farm-co-op
- Author: Adweek Staff
- Published: 2026-10-15T14:26:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: land olakes, heather malenshek, cultural moments, farm co-op, modern rural collective, rooted in tomorrow, rural broadband, tiktok
## Land O’Lakes' diverse business
Land O’Lakes feeds 100 million animals daily, including zoo animals, beyond its butter products.
## CMO Heather Malenshek's background
Heather Malenshek was CMO at Harley-Davidson for six and a half years, the first female CMO.
## Land O’L: 106-year co-op
Land O’Lakes has three distinct businesses with different audiences and goals, feeling siloed initially.
## Rooted in Tomorrow platform
Malenshek developed Rooted in Tomorrow with operations, finance, supply chain, and marketing teams.
## Modern Rural Collective
Land O’Lakes created Modern Rural Collective to shift rural America’s cultural narrative through partnerships.
## Rural broadband initiative
Land O’Lakes supported rural broadband access for 42 million Americans without internet during COVID.
## TikTok and cultural engagement
Land O’Lakes collaborated with sneaker companies on butter yellow trends for TikTok engagement.
## Internal trust building
Malenshek built trust through transparency, humility, and cross-functional accountability.
## Measuring cultural impact
Land O’Lakes measures cultural impact through adoption rates and business strategy alignment.
## Underappreciated rural audience
Rural communities are underappreciated, with innovation and entrepreneurship often romanticized.
## Small first step for marketers
Marketers should involve colleagues from different departments to build cultural capability.
## Rural travel stories
Malenshek shares rural travel experiences, like finding Coleman House for lunch in Georgia.
## What’s next for Land O’Lakes
Land O’Lakes plans new cultural initiatives to stay relevant in rural communities.
## Key takeaway

Land O’Lakes CMO Heather Malenshek explains how to authentically engage rural communities through cultural moments while staying true to the farm co-op mission.