Brand Update 2018: Year in Review

That question is especially relevant after a
decades-long trend of cattlemen increasingly
choosing Angus genetics for their herds.
Two-thirds of fed cattle in the U.S. are black
hided today, so there’s more Angus than
ever before.
Of course, these Angus cattle must also
meet the brand’s strict specifications in
order for the beef to earn the logo and return
$50 or more per head in grid premiums to
the rancher. Responding to these market
signals for higher quality, farmers’ efforts
have resulted in greater rates of Angus cattle
qualifying for the brand – reaching an alltime
high of nearly 33% in 2018 – but the
fact remains: two-thirds of Angus beef still
doesn’t measure up.
In short, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand is
the best of the entire Angus category, which
Chowhound explained with insight on our
10 specifications, how it is evaluated and
that consumers need only look for the logo
to ensure a great eating experience.
That promise remains the brand’s biggest
opportunity to educate.
“We have successfully marketed the Certified
Angus Beef ® brand as an indicator of quality
over the past 40 years, and need to keep
helping consumers understand that ‘Angus’
doesn’t necessarily indicate quality – but
the brand name does,” says Marketing Vice
President Tracey Erickson. “The brand not
only delivers value to consumers, but also
to partners who market the brand and
know it is an important point of difference
that elevates their businesses in their
marketplaces.”
Being able to position and communicate
those strengths relative to other beef is
important, says Josh Hahn, Meijer’s director
of marketing for promotional advertising
and vendor partnerships.
“I’ve only been on the food side of the
business for a little over a year now, and I
didn’t understand the difference between
the Certified Angus Beef ® brand and another
Angus beef,” he says. “But when I had the
opportunity to learn, and understand, the
brand’s focus on quality, it blew my mind to
realize what the differences were. I definitely
talk about the brand differently than I did
before. It’s amazing to see firsthand all of
the work and science that goes into it.”
Communicating that message to consumers
is the next step. Whether it’s through
traditional point-of-sale materials, circular
ads, social media or other creative ways
to share the brand’s story, partners want
to educate and engage, boost recognition
of the brand, and keep consumers coming
back to its proven quality.
Understanding unique differences from
other Angus beef is at the center of the
brand’s new, harder-hitting advertising
campaign. A full range of customizable
resources, from signs to billboards to truck
wraps to circular ads, clearly positions
the brand as the best beef within the
Angus category, and its distinctive logo –
recognized by 95% of consumers – as an
easy way to determine the quality choice in
the meat case.
“When I had the
opportunity to learn,
and understand, the
brand’s focus on
quality, it blew my
mind to realize what
the differences were.”
Josh Hahn, Meijer
BRAND UPDATE
10
Harder-hitting ads help explain the quality difference between Angus beef, and the
Certified Angus Beef ® brand. Above, Hawaii’s Foodland stores welcomed visitors with
airport advertising. At right, Blue Ribbon Meats’ trucks tout the difference on the road.