Liam Byrne is AHDB’s head of meat marketing
Our third instalment of the £2.5 million ‘changing perceptions of pork’ consumer campaign is working hard to cut through the media noise of ‘eat less meat’ campaigns.
The latest Love Pork TV advert is expected to be viewed by more than 20 million people, featuring a variety of healthy and tasty pork dishes, including healthy sweet and sour pork and healthy stir fry.
Evaluation of the previous phase of our campaign has shown that following our TV advert, consumer perception of pork has changed for the better, and the number of people buying it has increased.
If you haven’t guessed already, the advert aims to reflect a more health-focused key message – that pork is rich in protein, low in salt and contains nine vitamins and minerals that contribute towards good health, emphasising how some cuts, such as loin medallions and fillet, are low in fat and saturated fat.
Cutting out food groups, without careful substitution, can lead to nutritional deficiencies, so we aim to make it easy for more people to make a healthy and informed choice that’s also nutritionally balanced. Therefore, it’s important consumers are aware that pork is much more than just a ‘bacon bap’ and that it can also be used in a variety of healthy cuisines.
With that in mind, January was a strategic time of year to place this TV advert. While it is a time of reflection on one’s eating and lifestyle habits, it has (particularly over the past few years) been a time when consumers actively look to cut whole food groups, like meat, from their diets.
Influenced by misinformation and misrepresentation of the facts around nutrition and the environment, this TV advert helps to convey positive nutritional messaging about meat and the important role it plays in a diet. More importantly, the TV advert shows how pork can not only be healthy and nutritious, but also easy to cook and tasty to eat.
Our slogan, ‘Pork Loin Medallions, Just as Healthy as Chicken Breast’ really highlights pork’s position as a lean, healthy meat.
If you missed it, the advert is being shown on top TV and on- demand shows, including ITV’s This Morning andCoronation Street, and Channel 4’s Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast, as well as Film4, Sky 1 and Dave, or you can watch the TV advert at www.lovepork.co.uk/love-flavour.
We’ll soon be able to share results from the campaign – keep your eyes peeled – but it’s already clear that it’s had a positive impact on people’s attitude towards pork as a midweek
meal, with pork medallions being consumers’ favourite.