Agricultural News
Beef Industry Gets Personal - Checkoff Adapts Promotional Efforts to Fit Modern Consumer Interests
Wed, 30 Aug 2017 10:22:33 CDT
The dollar a head Beef Checkoff has been around since the late 1980s, but over time its buying power has gradually declined. As a result, the promotional dollars that are now spent have to be more effective than ever before and laser focused on the consumer. According to Cattlemen's Beef Board CEO Polly Ruhland, who spoke recently with Ron Hays, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network farm director, the Checkoff has been able to accomplish this in part, by reaching their target audience, Millennials, in the digital world. She says one tool that has proven extremely effective are short, simple video recipes.
"We used to be able to get by with a three or four-minute video. Now we have to do probably one or two-minute videos because people just don't have the attention span," Ruhland said. "They've got to catch their attention with these beautiful beef shots with these simple directions - teach people to cook in two minutes."
Moving forward, Ruhland says the next objective that needs to be addressed, according to market research, is improving the perception of the consumer regarding the production practices of the beef industry. She insists today's consumer wants to know more about beef, including how it was raised and managed throughout its lifecycle. This issue was reinforced by the latest National Beef Quality Audit. Ruhland points out, though, that more and more producers are willfully becoming certified through the Beef Quality Assurance program to improve the methods used in their own operations. She says this helps the industry not just on the farm, but in the grocery store also. Ruhland reports that the Checkoff will soon launch a campaign to hopefully bridge the gap between producers and their consumers.
"As we roll into 2018, we're really excited about a producer image campaign," she said. "How producers make beef is really important to consumers and we want to be able to connect consumers directly with producers and put a face on the beef industry."
Listen to Ruhland and Hays discuss the promotional efforts being taken by the beef industry to improve consumer perception of the product and the producers, on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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