November/December 2019 - 33

IPC ramping up marketing efforts
Two months into
our fiscal year, and I
don't think we've ever
been busier.
We've been blessed
IDAHO POTATO
COMMISSION
Frank Muir
President and CEO
with a beautiful crop,
and our marketing
team has been hard
at work diving into
new campaigns,
promotions and
partnerships!
Our new TV
commercial is a continuation of Farmer
Mark's search for the Big Idaho Potato
Truck. Now stranded in the tricked out '55
Studebaker, the reluctant hero is plotting to
find another way to catch the elusive four-ton
spud on its expeditious journey across the
country. It first aired during the ESPNews live
broadcast of Boise State's football season
opener against Florida State. It's now running
nationwide on Fox News, CNN, Headline
News, History Channel, Food Network, HGTV,
Cooking Channel, Hallmark, NBC Sports,
ESPN, Freeform, as well as streaming
platforms Discovery Go and Hulu.
On a local level, the IPC sponsored a
throwback night with minor league baseball
team, the Idaho Falls Chukars. The Chukars
reverted back to their original name for one
night, the Russets, in celebration of the
harvest. The team wore jerseys similar to those
worn 80 years ago. The Big Idaho Potato Truck
also celebrated the harvest with a two-week
farm tour. For 14 days, the truck traveled
around Southeast Idaho visiting farms, sheds
and a few schools. If you missed it, check
www.bigidahopotato.com for a schedule.
Behind the scenes we're working with a
few celebrities to help us promote Idaho
potatoes throughout the year:
* New Orleans Saints' most versatile
player and Idaho's own Taysom Hill will
be promoting Idaho potatoes during
the NFL season with an engaging social
media campaign.
* Fourteen-year-old " America's Got Talent "
winner Darci Lynne wowed America with
her operatic ventriloquist act. In February,
she and her puppet pals will be embracing
our own Spuddy Buddy and sharing a
special Potato Lover's Month message.
* Bash, 8, an up-and-coming YouTube toy
reviewer will be experiencing the 2019
Idaho potato harvest first-hand from the
front seat of the Big Idaho Potato Truck.
He'll be " vlogging " about his experience
soon after he returns home.
We're also amplifying our social media
presence. Almost all our marketing programs
will be promoted on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter. Plus, we've developed several
programs specifically for social media:
* " Thank a Farmer " features a different
grower each month. It's our way of showing
appreciation for everyone who works so
hard to grow America's favorite vegetable.
* By partnering with other commodity
boards with strong social media
followings, like the Mushroom Council,
to create engaging posts, we're able to
significantly increase engagement with
our followers and attract new ones.
All these programs - big and small -
support the day to day work we do with retailers
and foodservice operators by driving demand
for Idaho potatoes. We always and consistently
encourage consumers to actively look for the
" Grown in Idaho " seal for assurance that they
are buying a premium, quality brand.
Spudman * November/December 2019
31
http://www.bigidahopotato.com
November/December 2019

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