New National Pork Board Campaign Celebrates Proud Brand Identity: Pork® Be inspired(SM)

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With a new focus on reaching creative, flavor-seeking home cooks who already prepare, eat and love pork, the National Pork Board today announced a new branding position celebrating pork's ability to offer a wide range of options in the kitchen.  With PORK® now as the brand, the new campaign of: Pork® Be inspired(SM) shows pork's place in almost any menu, day part, cuisine and lifestyle, based on pork's unique combination of flavor and versatility as the source of kitchen inspiration.

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The new, fully integrated campaign features an updated look and feel, along with a new consumer target: the more than 82 million Americans who already cook, eat and love pork. Moving from a functional to a more emotional positioning, the campaign voice is proud, energetic, approachable and unapologetically optimistic about the unique attributes of the world's most popular protein.

Evoking the taste of backyard barbeques, new and attainable flavor combinations or mid-week meals on the go, the bold product imagery celebrates one juicy, tender, flavorful pork meal after another.

"Our research shows that pork's top consumers are looking for more than basic education; they're looking for inspiration. With its great taste and versatility, pork is the ideal catalyst to inspire great meals," said Ceci Snyder, Vice President of Marketing at the National Pork Board. "While our new target represents our biggest fans, we believe they have the potential and desire to enjoy pork more often – and to inspire others to do the same."

The new campaign rolls out this March and April, and includes national advertising, public relations, social media, retail and foodservice marketing, as well as activation by state pork associations. Enthusiastic about this renewed approach, 2011 advertising media spending has more than doubled that of recent years. All elements will showcase inspiring new ways to enjoy pork more frequently, with a range of meal and menu options.

Rallying "Pork Champions"

Recent consumer segmentation research from the National Pork Board found that 82 million Americans are "Pork Champions" – men and women who are predominantly medium to heavy fresh pork eaters with a strong passion for pork that they are eager to share. This group of "flavor-seeking creatives:"

• Represents approximately 28 percent of U.S. households but accounts for roughly 68 percent of all in-home fresh pork consumption and 50 percent of all away-from-home fresh pork consumption.  
• Enjoys cooking and experimenting with new flavors in the kitchen, understands how to cook pork, and in general looks at life with a positive outlook.  

A New Role for The Other White Meat® Campaign

Nearly 25 years ago, the Pork® The Other White Meat® campaign was conceived to reposition pork as a healthful protein source. Today, Pork Be inspired goes beyond basic cooking education and health to promote a deeper, more personal level of engagement with existing pork consumers.  However, The Other White Meat campaign will play a role as a heritage brand, with use on the consumer web site and in nutrition communications.  The Other White Meat campaign will not be featured in advertising.

"Our new campaign communicates to the legion of pork fans that pork is delicious, versatile and can stand on its own," added Snyder. "Pork is what consumers write on their shopping list or order in a restaurant.  To those that love pork, it requires no comparison to the other meats.  The range of meals drives new ideas – and appetites – for pork."

Digital advertising starts March 7 with paid search and web sites that reach the National Pork Board's new target, with creative directing to a new website URL, www.PorkBeInspired.com.  Starting April 11, national television advertising includes both network and cable.   Print advertising begins in April in food and lifestyle publications, using three consecutive right-hand pages to communicate pork's ability to inspire numerous meal ideas.

Chicago-based Schafer Condon Carter is the creative agency behind the Pork Be inspired campaign.

About The National Pork Board

The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, technology, swine health, pork safety and environmental management.

SOURCE National Pork Board