Holiday Campaign Puts Beef Back on TV

For years, beef producers and consumers alike could see the famous Checkoff-funded Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. advertisements across their television screens. Now, for the first time since 2003, iconic Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. advertisements are returning to broadcast television for the holiday season. In addition to the TV advertisements, a fully integrated marketing campaign executed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, will feature social media, retail e-commerce, influencer platforms, traditional media and more to promote beef as the protein of choice this holiday season. Here are five ways the Beef Checkoff is highlighting beef over the holidays.

1. Holiday Videos

Launched during the Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas, the famous Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. Drool Log was the main attraction during the commercials, which began running the week of November 16 and are ending on December 26. During this period, the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. commercials are scheduled to run in more than 50 showings. The Checkoff-funded spots aired during highly popular timeframes, including movie “premiere” showings, the ever-popular “Thanksgiving Day Marathon” and the highly coveted “Countdown to Christmas” weekend spotlight.

Additionally, NCBA created new videos for the holiday season to promote through all social media platforms and digital channels. Here are some of the Beef Checkoff’s holiday videos:

• Drool Log Holiday Movie – This is the advertisement people will see on the Hallmark channel.
• Twas the Night Before Beefmas – Inspired by the popular story, this beefy version was designed for consumers to share with friends and family.
• Original Sponsors of the Holiday Season – This video spot reminds consumers that beef farmers and ranchers are behind this holiday season.
• Holiday Favorites – This video features the Drool Log slowly cooking while a narrator reads a list of more than 500 beef recipes that consumers can make this holiday season, all found on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

2. Influencer Partnerships

To extend beef messaging over the holidays, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. partnered with Buzzfeed, a large content creator with Tasty Food Recipes and Videos, a segment within that brand. The Checkoff partnership with Tasty creator and beef lover Alvin Zhou resulted in a beef video demonstration, a live Buzzfeed Q&A, two custom beef articles and social media posts on the Buzzfeed channel. The goal was to gain 1.75 million video views and seven million impressions.

3. Audio Ads

To reach more of the Beef Checkoff’s consumer target audience – 25-44 millennial-aged parents – Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. is airing audio ads through the popular music streaming app, Spotify. Spotify serves beef’s audio ads while the audience listens to holiday playlists, making the beef holiday-specific ads contextually relevant. It’s estimated that this effort garnered 4.5 million impressions.

4. Supply Chain Partnerships

A partnership with Gallo Wines showed how beef and wine are the perfect holiday pairing. Gallo wines presented a holiday offer for $15 back when a consumer buys a prime rib and two bottles of Louis M Martini wine. This partnership is available both in-store and online through retailers. Promoting this holiday offer will increase beef retails sales for December.

5. E-Commerce Marketing Through Target

Target is marketing direct to consumers and focusing heavily on fresh products. Because of increased traffic for ordering online, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. saw an opportunity to leverage beef messaging and have a shopping call to action for beef products through Target’s digital media offerings, like their Target app and Target.com.