Promote

What is ‘Promote?’

Promote is the consumer-facing element of the marketing strategy, focusing on delivering key messaging to our end-users, the consumer. We create newsworthy items across relevant targeted media, including advertorials, recipe placement, feature articles in press, online and social media. All these pieces of coverage can influence consumers.

We aim to inspire consumers, particularly younger ones, to eat more potatoes and make them an everyday choice.

We are also working on the Many Faces of Potatoes, an EU co-financed campaign alongside France and Belgium, whose sectors face similar challenges with younger consumers. The campaign aims to highlight the versatility, convenience and healthiness of the potato through a wide range of consumer-centred marketing tools.

What is the benefit to the industry from this work?

Potato consumption is declining, particularly among younger consumers. By promoting the versatility of potatoes, sitting alongside other key messages of health and convenience for busy parents and young professionals, we aim to show our future families that potatoes are an important part of a sustainable diet and ensure that the demand for potatoes is sustained and increased in our target audience.

What is the work based on? Evidence….

All of our work in Potato Council Marketing is supported by the latest consumer research and evidence.

We know that younger consumers (25-44) are consuming fewer potatoes through the ‘globalisation’ of the food market. Benchmarking against consumer attitudes towards our key messages helps us to understand how effective our campaigns are, and key insight into how consumers shop and eat allow us to target our marketing for greater exposure, and ultimately value.

We are constantly working to improve what we do, and conduct regular focus groups around ad campaigns and other marketing tools to ensure that we are delivering the right messages in a clear and concise manner. To find out more, visit our ‘Understand’ section for more insight into the consumer.

What have been the successes?

A 2% shift in attitudes towards potatoes as healthy

66,000 visits per month to the Love Potatoes website, with over half of those visits looking at recipe inspiration. During 2010, the website attracted 1.3m visitors, the number one choice for Potato recipes on Google search engine.

5 regional roadshows for the Many Faces campaign across major UK cities, compèred by French celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli

Collaboration with Dawn Porter on a 28 day potato diet plan

Coverage in major national media, both news and consumer titles

Successful launch of a national TV advertising campaign, the first this millennium!

EU campaign generating £1.92m worth of PR coverage, alongside 51m Opportunities To See (OTS) the campaign in all forms.

I want to be involved, how can I do this?

There are many ways in which you can get involved, such as:

Getting involved with the regional roadshows that run across both campaigns – being present, engaging with consumers

Distribution of promotional material through retail outlets or key contacts

In store activity at point of sale or through on pack promotions

Please see more through our ‘How to get involved’ page