REWARDING AND ENGAGING STEAKHOLDERS One such <strong>in</strong>itiative is a new consumer loyalty program, Steakholder Rewards. It’s designed to offer consumers the opportunity to be rewarded for engag<strong>in</strong>g with the brand and purchas<strong>in</strong>g product. After register<strong>in</strong>g, consumers will receive timely tips, recipes and updates <strong>in</strong> regular newsletters. Members can earn po<strong>in</strong>ts by buy<strong>in</strong>g the brand or <strong>in</strong>teract<strong>in</strong>g with it <strong>in</strong> some way: watch<strong>in</strong>g a video, shar<strong>in</strong>g a social post or download<strong>in</strong>g a recipe, for example. Custom promotions and <strong>in</strong>dividualized reward packages will offer a thank-you to the most loyal fans: everyth<strong>in</strong>g from branded merchandise to the opportunity to participate <strong>in</strong> a one-of-a-k<strong>in</strong>d cul<strong>in</strong>ary experience. From Instagram to L<strong>in</strong>kedIn to Facebook and more, social networks offer brand fans the opportunity to not only engage with the brand and its partners, but also connect with one another to share ideas. One of those is the Certified Angus Beef ® Kitchen: a Facebook group and virtual hangout for beef lovers of all stripes who ask for d<strong>in</strong>ner ideas, share pictures of their latest beefy creations or simply post their sight<strong>in</strong>gs of the brand’s logo. Similarly, private groups for chefs connect professionals. THE MEAT OF THE MATTER Whether one is a chef, pitmaster or self-proclaimed “meathead,” a new podcast from the brand—“Meat Speak”— speaks their love language. Episodes are hosted by the brand’s Director of Cul<strong>in</strong>ary Arts Chef Tony Biggs and his <strong>in</strong>trepid sidekick, chef liaison Bryan Schaaf. Together, they take a deep dive <strong>in</strong>to topics that reflect the expertise and <strong>in</strong>terests of their star-studded l<strong>in</strong>eup of guests from across the cul<strong>in</strong>ary world. And while one might expect the primary topic to be beef, Schaaf and Biggs want listeners to appreciate that many meaty subjects—<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g meat science and cul<strong>in</strong>ary trends— are fair game. Rather than serve as an extended commercial for the brand, the goal is to foster genu<strong>in</strong>e engagement among listeners. The landscape and tim<strong>in</strong>g was right for a podcast, said Tracey Erickson, the brand’s executive vice president of market<strong>in</strong>g. While podcast<strong>in</strong>g is <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly popular— accord<strong>in</strong>g to a recent New York Times article, it now reaches 50% of all Americans—there was a vacuum for this particular type of content. “People are listen<strong>in</strong>g to podcasts wherever they used to listen to the radio,” she says. “It’s an ideal opportunity to reach people with our unique brand message and br<strong>in</strong>g those conversations to a wider community.” CULTURAL RELEVANCE As a global brand, “community” can look very different from one situation to the next. While brand loyalists around the world share appreciation for the brand and feel a connection to it, it sometimes requires a more <strong>in</strong>tentional approach to understand each <strong>in</strong>dividual culture and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> relevance. “How do you visit a market with a different language and culture, just a couple times a year and help it succeed?” That’s the question Gebran Charb<strong>in</strong>e, the brand’s vice president of <strong>in</strong>ternational and ethnic market<strong>in</strong>g, asks himself upon each return from an overseas trip. <strong>Year</strong>s ago, the answer was simple: translate English, pieces <strong>in</strong>to different languages. Problem solved, right? Not quite. A quick translation may get the general message across, but it doesn’t help form a bond between the brand and those who sell and purchase it. In addition, nuances can be missed, from Japan or South Korea, to the Middle East, French Canada, the Caribbean, South America and beyond. The true key is to provide global partners with resources not only <strong>in</strong> their native language, but also relevant to the culture. For Ana Luisa Verba, director of <strong>in</strong>ternational market<strong>in</strong>g for Lat<strong>in</strong> America, it’s a passion. Anyone who has seen her lively, heartfelt presentations understands why: it’s the culture she grew up <strong>in</strong> and now shares with beef <strong>in</strong>dustry leaders. Each Lat<strong>in</strong>-focused piece, from social media posts to sell sheets, sports vibrant colors and entic<strong>in</strong>g Spanish language to grab consumers and put the brand <strong>in</strong> a culturally relevant context. “To be effective, it’s important to ‘trans-create’ rather than simply translate,” Verba expla<strong>in</strong>ed. While the Lat<strong>in</strong> American population is the largest ethnic segment <strong>in</strong> the U.S., the Asian American population is the fastest grow<strong>in</strong>g, accord<strong>in</strong>g to the latest census data, and Executive Account Manager Heidi Schroeder expla<strong>in</strong>s that provides a big opportunity for distributors, retailers and restaurateurs to br<strong>in</strong>g ethnic cuis<strong>in</strong>e trends to their markets: not just from a cul<strong>in</strong>ary perspective, but from the sales side, too. “Global is local” is the tagl<strong>in</strong>e she shares dur<strong>in</strong>g meet<strong>in</strong>gs with foodservice and retail salespersons. It conveys the idea that U.S. consumers don’t have to travel to Asia, or even major cities, to enjoy traditional and authentic foods from other cultures. A few examples: high-end restaurants, like Bistro Na’s <strong>in</strong> Los Angeles, and grocery stores like Nam Dae Mun Farmers Market, a Korean retailer <strong>in</strong> Atlanta. One potential challenge: those work<strong>in</strong>g at an ethnic restaurant or store may not be a part of that culture. For example, Nam Dae Mun’s meat department is run mostly by native Spanish speakers who require Spanish tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g materials and resources. While bridg<strong>in</strong>g cultures may take some effort, a little <strong>in</strong>tention goes a long way. “It’s simple: we genu<strong>in</strong>ely listen,” said Verba. “We care for their success, their market. We are committed to provid<strong>in</strong>g support, guidance, <strong>in</strong>novation, leadership. And we love what we do.”
Resources such as photos and recipes are created <strong>in</strong> and for markets like Japan, to ensure market<strong>in</strong>g materials are culturally relevant to global markets and consumers. IT’S PERSONAL <strong>2019</strong> <strong>Brand</strong> <strong>Update</strong> 35
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