This Week: WHAT HAS the CHECKOFF S PROMOTION PROGRAM AREA DONE for ME LATELY?

Checking in on the Checkoff

October 19, 2007 This week: WHAT HAS THE CHECKOFF’S PROMOTION PROGRAM AREA DONE FOR ME LATELY?

PROMOTION, as defined in the Beef Promotion & Research Act, means any action, including paid advertising, to advance the image and desirability of beef and beef products with the express intent of improving the competitive position and stimulating sales of beef and beef products in the marketplace.

BIG Innovations – Five handheld and youth-friendly products developed from FY07 checkoff efforts work have been “adopted” by two food manufacturers’ product lines. Meanwhile, 40 new healthy/convenience product concepts are being and tested with consumers, and five value-added applications developed from the chuck roll, are ready to roll out in 2008. These include the Denver Cut; Boneless Country-Style Beef Chuck Ribs; Delmonico Steak; fully cooked Country- Style Beef Roast; and America’s Beef Roast. For more information on BIG, go to http://www.beefinnovationsgroup.com/.

Cooking Up New Ideas – FY 2008 has started off with a bang at the checkoff-funded Beef and Veal Culinary Center in Chicago, which already has 16 projects up and running. The Center is currently testing package directions on frozen fully cooked beef patties to determine their validity, and is working on cook timings for several cuts out of the chuck roll, on behalf of BIG (see above). In recipe development, the Culinary Center is perfecting recipes for the brand enhancement ad campaign, foodservice, and the chuck roll. Cooking demonstrations are on tap for the Oregon and Kansas beef councils. For more information on the Culinary Center visit http://www.beefandvealculinary.com/.

Going To Market – The checkoff’s Veal Go-To-Market Strategy team is endeavoring to create new market opportunities based on the beef checkoff’s Veal Optimization Study. This is a team effort with the Beef Innovations Group, the Beef and Veal Culinary Center to build on the results from FY 20007, which included four new casual chains placing veal on their menus. For more information about checkoff-funded veal programs, go to http://www.veal.org/Content/.

A New Approach – The newly approved checkoff-funded print advertising campaign will continue reinforcing the unique passion that consumers have for beef – at the same time making them feel better about it by delivering a powerful protein message: “Discover the power of protein in the land of lean beef.” On the radio side, the new campaign offers a fresh sound. Celebrity actor Matthew McConaughey is the new voice of the “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” campaign; the first radio spots featuring his voice have been produced for launch in January. Members of the Joint Advertising Committee believed that while Sam Elliott was a wonderful addition to the advertising for 10 years, Matthew’s unique charm and slight Texas accent will keep the checkoff spots contemporary and continue to deliver a powerful beef message. Upon their launch in January, ads for the new campaign will be posted to the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner Web site: http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/ads/default.asp.

More Beef on More Menus – More than 600 foodservice executives attended “The Beef Regatta” reception during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference in Los Angeles, Oct. 1. Also on that date, Old Chicago launched its “Meat Me” promotion, in partnership with the Beef Checkoff Program. For more information about checkoff-funded foodservice programs, visit http://www.beeffoodservice.com/Home/Default.aspx

More Beef in More Supermarkets – The checkoff’s retail marketing team is in the early stages of developing the Primal Optimization Project (POP) – aimed at giving retailers new ways to merchandise and market beef cuts from heavy carcasses. The new cuts from the chuck roll soon will be tested with consumers at a major Midwest retailer. Meantime, the Hispanic Toolbox of marketing materials was tested with a West Coast retailer and will be rolled out to State Beef Councils and supermarket retailers nationwide in 2008. For more information on Retail Marketing activities, visit www.beefretail.org.

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