18 NATIONAL CATTLEMEN
T H E
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STATE BEEF COUNCILS
Building beef demand by inspiring, unifying and supporting an effective state/national checkoff partnership.
Lights! Camera! Action! Television’s Role in Wisconsin Although budget and strategy considerations have kept the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner advertising off of network television, the national approach hasn’t stopped many state beef councils from working with their local television stations to promote beef in key markets. The Wisconsin Beef Council is a good example. Angie Horkan of the WBC staff is known as “the beef lady” to the staffs and viewers of Wisconsin’s local stations, each of which features beef to a significant market on a monthly basis. Segments on stations in
Madison (two stations), Milwaukee, Green Bay, La Crosse, Eau Claire and Wausau range from 3½ minutes to 8 minutes, and feature a different theme each month. In September 2015, for instance, the theme was tailgating, while October has been labeled “Crocktober,” and November is Meatball Month. Holiday roasts will be featured during December. Each segment throughout the year focuses on seasonal beef recipes, with beef ’s positive nutritional benefits, ease and convenience woven into the broad message of beef as an everyday food.
Known as “the beef lady” to television station personalities and staffs, Angie Horkan (right) brings beef “up close and personal” to Wisconsin television viewers. Here, WKBT CBS 8 (La Crosse) Meteorologist Bill Graul and Morning Anchor Jennifer Livingston savor some of Horkan’s dishes.
Overall, the WBC secures about 75 minutes of air time a month, with an earned media value of about $150,600 a year. The audience reached each month is more than 2.5 million. During National Hamburger Month in May alone, the WBC appeared in 16 segments with over 1 hour and 23 minutes of airtime and 1.84 million viewers. The television appearances are part of a larger strategy that includes other methods of reaching consumers. “We coordinate our television segments with our other consumer advertising, to make sure we maximize our exposure,” said Horkan, whose official title
is WBC director of marketing. “In addition, we integrate these efforts with our social media programs, including our website (www.beeftips.com), Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.” Horkan said WBC’s monthly recipe e-newsletter gets e-mailed to more than 10,000 Wisconsin consumers the first day of each month. According to Horkan, the television appearances are highly effective in generating visits to the WBC website. Visits will increase up to 200 percent on the day of a television appearance, she said, and page views will increase 360 percent.
WBC-organized television segments will vary depending on time of year and scheduled theme.
Big Battle Brewed for Best Off to the Fair in Kansas Burger in Nebraska
Burgers are big in away-fromhome dining, and state beef councils throughout the country have capitalized on that trend with contests to determine who has the best hamburger in their state. In Nebraska, for instance, Goonie’s Kozy Keno Bar in Terrytown, Neb., took home top honors at that state’s 2015 Best Burger contest, which is conducted by the Nebraska Beef Council. The NBC held the finals for the contest at the Nebraska State Fair, with the five top restaurants in the state (as nominated by the public during an online poll) preparing their signature hamburger for a panel of four judges. Newspapers in five major Nebraska cities (Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Kearney and
Scottsbluff) covered the event, and television coverage was provided by the ABC affiliate in Central Nebraska. Web articles were posted by several other Nebraska television stations. In addition, a half dozen radio interviews were conducted, and the state’s ag media covered the contest widely. “In the end, the contest not only benefited the winner of Nebraska’s Best Burger, but was also a win for the entire beef community,” said Adam Wegner, NBC director of marketing. “There was definitely a ‘buzz’ created by the media and social media sites, which revitalized Nebraskans’ passion for burgers and love of beef!” The Goonie’s burger consists of an allbeef patty, grilled onions, cheese and a secret signature sauce made in-house by owners Paul and Lisa Guhn. Goonies received a trophy and a cash prize of $1,000 for their first place finish.
Beef Council Uses Social Media to Generate Consumer ‘Pin’spiration The Pennsylvania Beef Council is encouraging consumers – especially millennials – to check out their new Pinterest page this fall to “Discover Beef PINspiration and Win.” Participants are being challenged to follow the PBC’s new collection of recipe boards for the chance to win a free grocery gift card. Through Oct. 20, consumers enter by visiting the PBC Facebook page. After browsing the new Pinterest page and answering a brief survey question, entrants are eligible to win $500 in free groceries from
their local retailer. “Thanks to checkoff-funded market research efforts, we know that our target consumer base – 80 million millennials – overwhelmingly gets their information about beef and beef production through online and social media channels,” said PBC Executive Director Bridget Bingham. “Our new Pinterest page will serve as another social media tool to help connect millennials with additional resources related to beef, especially when it comes to cooking and recipe selection.”
State Fairs have wrapped up all over the country, and state beef councils were integrally involved in helping make them successful, supporting efforts to educate fairgoers about beef and the beef industry. Among the efforts of the Kansas
Beef Council at the Kansas State Fair, for instance, was Agriland, a cooperative effort of the KBC, the Kansas Department of Agriculture and 10 other commodity and agriculture groups. Agriland provides Kansans of all ages and backgrounds the chance to learn about Kansas agriculture, creating an interactive environment for consumers to learn about the roles Kansas farmers and ranchers have in producing food. “Fairgoers get basic farmto- fork education at Agriland,” said Robin Blume, Education and Events Coordinator at the Kansas Department of Agriculture. “Agriland provides an interactive opportunity for families to learn about the roles Kansas farmers and ranchers have in producing our food, energy and fiber.” Agriland was located in the Kansas State Fair attendees had opportunities to have hands-on Pride of Kansas building. agricultural experiences in Agriland.
BPOC Submits 2016 Programs for Approval The Beef Promotion Operating Committee has submitted a $42 million budget to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board for funding of national and international checkoff-funded programs in fiscal 2016, which began Oct. 1. The budget must be approved by the full CBB as well as the USDA before work can begin. The Federation will supplement the $42 million budget with almost $7 million in additional funds from states who invest a portion of the 50 cents they control from the $1-per-head collected. The budget includes: • $9 million for promotion (plus $1.47
million Federation); • $10.3 million for research (plus $1.7 million); • $8.1 million for consumer information (plus $1.33 million); • $4.7 million for industry information (plus $811,593); • $8.4 million for foreign marketing and education (plus $1.62 million); and • $1.5 million for producer communications. The BPOC includes 10 members from the CBB and 10 members from the Federation of State Beef Councils. Vice chair of the BPOC is Jennifer Houston, Tennessee, who is also Federation chair.