EXECUTING A NATIONAL PR & ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN FEATURING AMERICA’S FAVORITE VEGETABLE
“This report, says NPC, demonstrates that potatoes not only provide high-quality nutrients but are a driver of America’s economic prosperity, including direct economic activity — growing, processing and retail — and the creation of jobs throughout the country.”
Brief
Evocati PR led a national PR and advertising campaign for the National Potato Council (NPC) to highlight the impact of the $100 billion U.S. potato industry on the U.S. economy. The campaign was the first of its kind thanks to newly-reported data by NPC, generating 18 million impressions across print and online publications, and becoming the number one search result for "spud nation" on Google.
Challenge
The National Potato Council understood the potato industry played a large role in America's economic prosperity but had no actionable data that demonstrated its national contribution. In 2021, it commissioned economists from Michigan State University to provide a comprehensive assessment of the national economic contribution of America’s favorite vegetable. The report findings were so impressive that NPC sought to create a national splash generating media awareness and execute on ways to make the report findings actionable and accessible to the public at-large.
Strategy
Evocati PR tapped into its extensive advocacy and PR expertise, and all its services, including web and print design, social media amplification, media relations, and ad-buys to coalesce around a call-to-action that informed policymakers, and all Americans, that the country is a "spud nation."
Tailored around a national launch date, Evocati PR designed and deployed an interactive landing page for all Americans to learn and witness the important role potatoes provide in a dynamic global economy; conducted ad buys in industry-specific publications and search to drive traffic to the site; organized a media roundtable between NPC staff, and industry representatives, and reporters with an interest in agriculture business and the American economy; captured placement on relevant podcasts, and worked with senior officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to promote NPC's findings.
Results
Evocati PR's efforts led to features in national publications such as The Packer and Agri-Pulse, plus coverage on radio and broadcast television. Across publications and social media, "Spud Nation" attracted 18+ million impressions through the first two weeks of its release.
In an address to potato growers in Washington, D.C. on March 1, 2023, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack thanked them for their contributions to the economy and noted the tremendous opportunity to grow the industry via international trade, based on the report findings.
The findings were also shared by the United Kingdom office of USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service in April 2023, which posted about the report to its audience, highlighting Evocati PR's campaign landing page and report results.
Thanks to Evocati PR's work, NPC is now the number one search result for "spud nation" on Google. The potato industry's $100 billion contribution to America's economy has become the accepted and understood talking point by all policymakers and industry professionals.
NPC is now looking for ways to build off the report to support future policy advocacy efforts.
Results Highlights
18+ Million Impressions in Two Weeks
Number One Search Result on Google
Featured by Industry Publications & Podcasts
Acknowledged by U.S. Cabinet Secretary & USDA Offices