Sustained Success
Situation Analysis: Due to breakthrough farming methods, animal welfare improvements and regulated alimentation, the quality of Quebec pork had significantly improved over time. However, consumption had steadily declined (-8% from 1986 to 2010), while that of chicken significantly increased (+40% since 1986). To make things worse, Quebec grocery stores continued to import low-end pork, which accounted for 30% of sales. Grocery shoppers were not able to identify the origin of the product on the shelves, thus depriving Quebec pork of “buy local” strategy.
Insight & Strategy: Research confirmed the target’s (35- to 54-year-old women) perceptions about pork had remained unchanged for years, highlighting two principal barriers to pork consumption: one in four Quebecers thought pork was a fatty meat, and pork was widely considered boring. However, Quebec pork had become a lean meat with the highest number of cuts at 32, some of which, like the Osso Bucco, were exclusive to Quebec. Hence the major barriers to pork consumption were perceptual and needed changing. A campaign was structured to progressively address the challenges. In year one the focus would be on breaking the fat perception while years two and three would move on to breaking the conservative perception, combining to position Quebec pork as a healthy, versatile and modern meat.
Execution: Breaking the fat perception would be achieved by focusing on the fact that Quebec pork now had 30% less fat than 25 years ago. Breaking the conservative perception would be achieved via new messaging and celebrity Quebec chefs, all encapsulated in the tagline, “Quebec pork has changed. Change for pork.” Executed across television, print, online pre-rolls and web banners, in-store tactical events and a logo redesign, all executions communicated the leaner pork message in year one, while, in years two and three, three new television spots ran showing how eating pork was an emotional experience, while the digital work showed the same characters getting excited by the website recipes.
Two branded content initiatives also took place: the TV show Et que ça saute! in year two followed in year three with the TV show Appolo dans le frigo. A partnership with famous chef Ricardo enabled Quebec Pork to organize brand activation in grocery stores while a recipe book, The Pig from Snout to Tail, was developed presenting 32 cuts in 107 recipes from 46 chefs, being sold in grocery stores alongside the meat section.
Results: Pork sales volume in Quebec grew by 6.6% from 2011 to 2013, five times the fresh meat industry average of +1.47%, while the average weekly penetration of fresh pork consumption increased by 12 points, from 32% to 44%. During the campaign period, the perception that pork is a lean meat grew by five points among Quebecers, from 19% to 24%.
Consumers increasingly recognized the superior quality of Quebec pork versus pork from elsewhere with a nine-point increase from 61% to 70% for the campaign period.
Cause & Effect: During this period there were no changes to pricing strategy, no product enhancements or growth in distribution. According to a post-campaign study, the messages conveyed by the campaign were evaluated more positively by respondents who were exposed to the campaign.
Credits:
Client: Les Éleveurs de porc du Québec
Agency: Lg2
Strategic planners: Marc-André Fafard, Julie Dubé
Creative team: Lysa Petraccone, François Sauvé, Christian Letendre
Creative team, web: Jennifer Varvaresso, Marilou Aubin, Alexandre Jourdain
Creative team, design: Serge Côté, Marie-Pier Gilbert
Clients services: Audrey Lefebvre, Natacha Laflamme, Audrey Dignard, Élise Beauchemin, Brigitte Leblanc-Fortin, Nataly Lemire
Electronic production: Julie Lorazo
Production: Maxime Giroux
Photo direction: André Turpin
Production house: Les Enfants
Sound & engineering studio: Les Enfants
Print & web production: Lg2fabrique
Media agency: Carat
