Agricultural News
Certified Angus Beef Kicks Off Campaign to Declare All Angus is Not Created Equal
Tue, 07 Dec 2010 3:48:41 CST
The world will soon be challenged to "Taste the Difference" between Angus brands in a new campaign developed by the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. The program to establish Angus clarity in the minds of consumers was created after research indicated they are confused about Angus differences.
The resulting campaign will be featured by the brand's retail, restaurant and foodservice partners around the globe in 2011 using billboards, print, radio advertising and point-of-sale materials.
"Today's marketplace is vastly different than when this brand started more than 30 years ago," explained Tracey Erickson, vice president of marketing for the American Angus Association subsidiary. "Many fast food grab-and-go giants have embraced the rising popularity of 'Angus,' and their large marketing budgets have led many to believe that all Angus is equal.
"This presents a unique opportunity for us to capitalize on consumer interests, educate them about the Angus category, and solidify and separate the differences in Angus," she said.
Consumer research
To better understand the consumer mindset, a three-city study was conducted recently with Firebox Research & Strategy LLC, Cleveland, Ohio. The qualitative research included groups in Chicago, Ill., Paramus, N.J, and Denver, Colo., geared toward determining what people know about Angus, beef brands and the differences between them.
Focus groups were made up of mostly 35- to 54-year-old women with household incomes of at least $75,000, who buy beef primarily at the grocery meat case and serve it at least twice weekly. While several men were included in each group, the study targeted women because they make more than 90% of the food buying decisions, Erickson said.
"Our marketing research shows consumers want to know the difference in Angus brands. They want assistance in choosing the best quality and taste," she added. "So, we wanted a campaign that turned the light bulb on and established that there is a difference in Angus beef."
Results from the focus groups showed consumers want to see the brand name "front and center" to help define the difference. Overwhelmingly, they selected "There's Angus. Then there's the Certified Angus Beef ® brand."
Consumers wanted facts to substantiate the brand's premium claim, too, choosing "A cut above USDA Prime, Choice and Select. Beef must pass 10 quality standards to earn the brand's premium name."
Focus group participants also selected "Taste the Difference" as the anchor for the campaign. The call to action, coupled with images of mouthwatering steak, triggers a desire to do just that, they said.
"This new turn-key campaign is one of the biggest things we can provide to our partners," said Erickson. "It establishes and supports their commitment to offering consumers the very best Angus beef."
Trade campaign
The brand has also launched a new foodservice trade campaign, which features a series of six chefs and six ranchers addressing the product's premium quality from ranch to table. The campaign kicks off with Chef Peter Vauthy from Red, the Steakhouse, in Miami, Fla., on his passion for serving only the finest - Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime.
The print campaign will feature other notable chefs, too, including Davide Pugliese from Brandywine Bay in the British Virgin Islands.
The Certified Angus Beef ® brand is a cut above USDA Prime, Choice and Select with 10 quality standards setting it apart. It has offered consumers quality, consistency and integrity since the first pound was sold in 1978. As customers of licensed partners in the United States and 46 other countries have discovered, "There's Angus. And then there's the Certified Angus Beef ® brand."
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