The campaign has proven to be very successful in re-positioning beef as a healthy and delicious meal option for all occasions domestically and has attracted the attention of similar organisations across the globe.
The campaign used broadcast and print advertisements that were designed to communicate a number of key messages, to educate consumers on the versatility, value and the superior quality of South African Beef in a simple, yet powerful manner.
"With so much conflicting information out there, we decided that it was time to inform consumers on how good South African Beef is. South Africans love beef. And now, the consumer and their families can enjoy a variety of preparations of beef for their great taste, versatility and nutritional benefits," says Dave Ford, Executive Director of the SA Feedlot Association.
The necessity for such a communications campaign became apparent after AC Nielson, commissioned by the SA Feedlot Association, conducted what has become the single largest beef research project in the history of South Africa. They found that 45% of consumers were eating less beef than two years previously, that 50% of consumers named safety as a primary concern, that female consumers were the main movers away from beef consumption and that affordability of beef was a primary issue.
Research conducted after the completion of the first phase of this campaign yielded some satisfying results for the SA Feedlot Association and showed that the campaign had received high awareness amongst consumers. 74% of those interviewed stated that SA Beef is nutritious, versatile and of the best quality. There was also a 10% growth in consumers moving from medium to high users.
The second phase of the campaign involved getting consumer participation in the "Best Butcher Campaign". Various call-to-action initiatives are being used to ask South Africans what qualities they look for in their butchery.
"By leveraging on the brand properties which we established during the first phase of this campaign, we invited feedback from consumers on what they believe to be a credible and enjoyable experience at a butchery. We will then be using this information as the basis for the third phase of the campaign, namely the Cleaver awards," explains Dave Ford.
The Cleaver Awards aims to find South Africa's best butchery, with the judging criteria including hygiene status, quality of beef products, customer service and value for money. Both provincial and national prizes will be awarded.
The International Meat Secretariat Marketing / Communications workshop, where Dave Ford addressed delegates last Friday, was held in Ballsbridge, Dublin. Delegates included meat industry specialists from the major meat producing countries of the world including the Netherlands, USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil and France.
