We helped the pork industry alleviate consumers' fears
about its products following the outbreak of the H1N1
or swine flu by publicizing Facts About Pork.
National Pork Board
The H1N1 flu has made headlines around the world since April 2009. Initial media reports branded H1N1 as “swine flu,” creating a climate of uncertainty among consumers regarding the safety of America’s pork products. Powell Tate and The National Pork Board mobilized an integrated crisis management campaign to reassure consumers that pork was safe to eat.
To proactively communicate our message, we conducted satellite and radio media tours with English and Spanish-speaking third-party experts and issued several press releases and b-roll packages, which were also posted online. To reach consumers via the Internet, we established a microsite, FactsAboutPork.com, and a Twitter handle “@FactsAboutPork,” in addition to reaching out to influential bloggers. Our partner agency, KRC Research, conducted a nightly national survey of 1,000 consumers ages 18 and older during the crisis period to gauge consumer perception of link to pork and pork production.
Our work generated nearly 600 million consumer impressions and reduced the number of pork eaters who said they were less likely to eat pork by 58% in five weeks. Following an initial dip in sales, fresh pork sales increased 6.3% over the prior year.
For more information, visit www.FactsAboutPork.com.
