Meat trade body ditches TV for press and digital activity

Beefy and Lamby characters to go as body focuses on its ‘Quality Standard’. By Camille Alarcon

Eblex_BeefEBLEX, the trade body representing the beef and sheep industries, is changing its advertising strategy in favour of heavyweight press and digital activity rather than television advertising.

The body is moving away from the “Lamby” and “Beefy” characters previously featured in its TV ads, which were based on legendary English cricketers Sir Ian Botham and Allan Lamb.

As part of its new strategy, EBLEX will not launch a TV ad this year but will instead launch a national print and digital campaign created by TBWA/London. The agency was appointed to the 4m ad account in February.

The campaign will push EBLEX’s “Quality Standard” label found on British beef and lamb products. It will use the strapline “Tough standards. Tender results”.

As part of the online activity, consumers will be able to “cook” their own steak in real time. However, if the on-screen instructions are not heeded, the steak will burn and smoke will start to fill the screen.

As the steak is sizzling, scrolling text will appear to explain the regulations EBLEX has in place as part of its quality assurance scheme.

The body says the decision to move more marketing activity online is reflective of the trend among its core target market of 30- to 50-year-old women to spend more time online.

EBLEX has also redeveloped its website to have more of a “magazine” feel. It has created a Quality Standard Recipe Club in a bid to better engage consumers.

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