Summer Campaign Puts Beef on the Grill
With warm weather comes the traditional backyard barbecues; families are grilling burgers, steaks and more. Research conducted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, shows one-third of consumers are planning to grill more this summer than they have in the past. This points to a prime opportunity to remind consumers that beef is the protein of choice for summer grilling 1.
The Checkoff-funded Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. brand, managed by NCBA, is kicking off summer grilling season with a campaign aimed at connecting producers and consumers in their love of beef. This multi-pronged campaign encourages consumers to cook beef on the grill and serve up beef recipes all summer long.
To launch the campaign, a new video was released featuring beef farmers and ranchers from around the country working hard to provide consumers with nutritious beef. This video reminds consumers that this summer, grilling season is brought to them by beef farmers and ranchers.
Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. also declared May 28 as National Beef Burger Day. Recipes and images demonstrating how to build and cook the perfect burger were shared on Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. social channels. Nationally-known bloggers also shared beef burger content on their blogs and social media platforms, while segments on Good Morning America’s website and Celebrity Page TV showcased how to grill the perfect beef burger.
To further encourage consumers and producers to unite in their shared love of beef, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. released “United We Steak” as the centerpiece of the summer grilling season campaign. While challenging circumstances and uncertainty continue across the U.S., beef on the grill can unite everyone and connect consumers to the producers who raise their food.
“United We Steak” has been delivered to consumers through a series of integrated digital content running on social media platforms, as well as through streaming TV services and YouTube advertising. A new series of radio ads was released and shared nationally as well as locally through state beef councils. These advertising efforts drove consumers to a special website, where they could find an interactive map profile page, complete with state-themed beef recipes, a “meet your state beef producer” section and other fun and informative facts about the state.
Running from May to Labor Day, this new campaign promises to be the most extensive and longest running Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. campaign. This is just one of the programs the Beef Checkoff will execute over the summer to inspire consumers to unite around the grill.
The Beef Checkoff program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.