New Beef Checkoff Campaign Focuses on Lean Messaging

Posted to BeefRetail.org in conjunction with May 2010 issue of Retail Beef Blast.

A new beef checkoff-funded advertising campaign is on the scene! The new “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” advertising campaign, known as the “Profiles” campaign, will launch this month. It’s all about highlighting the 29 lean cuts of beef to motivate consumers to choose beef because it’s tasty and healthy.

The campaign will cover many areas, from network, satellite and spot market radio to national print and online/mobile advertising; your customers can’t miss it! The promotions are heaviest around Memorial Day, July 4th and wrapping up with Labor Day. Print advertisements will appear in top magazines like Bon Appétit, Food Network Magazine, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, ESPN and Better Homes & Gardens.

The campaign’s tagline is: “29 lean cuts. One powerful protein.” The star of the advertisement is not a famous celebrity; instead, some of America’s favorite cuts take center stage: T-bone steak, tenderloin, top loin, top sirloin, top round and 95 percent lean ground beef. Keep these cuts in the case this summer because they are lean and top sellers!

The “Profiles” advertising campaign helps consumers become more familiar with the 29 lean beef cuts available while building upon the “power of lean beef protein” messaging momentum from the previous campaign. It reinforces consumers’ passion for the great taste of beef, while awakening their beliefs about beef’s body benefits. The messages and design concepts were consumer tested, so they are sure to resonate well with your customers.

The importance of making customers aware of the 29 lean cuts is evidenced in the recent statistic that an average of 57% of consumers were unable to identify eight popular beef cuts as lean. This campaign will show your customers some of their favorite cuts are lean.

Since your customers will be seeing these ads in their favorite magazines and hearing them on their favorite radio stations, now is the time for you to tie into the campaign so the consumer makes the connection when they step up to your meat department. Here are a few suggestions:

• The Summer Grilling Point-of-Sale campaign brings the Profiles campaign in store. We still have a few Point-of-Sale items available to order on a first come, first serve basis. Contact Penny Nau to order.
• If you have on-pack nutrition labeling, print the Profile ads and place them beside the cuts they feature with a recipe for that cut. (You can do this in the meat department or on your web site.)
• Promote these cuts as lean and delicious.
• Feature one of the cuts promoted in the ad on sale and use signage saying it’s the star of a new "Beef It’s What’s for Dinner" ad campaign.
• The featured recipe for Memorial Day will be the recipe on the T-Bone ad – T-Bones with Sweet & Savory Steak Sauce. Give this recipe to your customers so they can make the delicious dish they see in the ad!