Silver Anvil -Mr Potato Head

7/21/2019 Silver Anvil -Mr Potato Head

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Silver Anvil Analysis:Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD Quarters

The SituationIn the early 2000s a variety of low-carbfad diets called the healthiness of potatoes into

question. Many nutritionists and dieticians promoted diets which turned away from highglycemic index (GI) foods to aid in weight loss. Potatoes rank near the top of lists of high GIfoods. Programs such as the Atkins and South Beach diet continued to grow in popularity.Attitudes about potato nutrition began to decline sharply as consumers were overwhelmed by aflood of nutrition misinformation.

The United States Potato Board (USPB) respondedquickly with the development of the Healthy Potato Campaign.The purpose of this campaign was to reinforce to consumers thatthe potato, although it does contain carbohydrates, does havemany nutritional benefits, such as vitamin C and potassium, aswell as being low calories, fat free, and sodium free.

The Healthy Potato campaign was launched in 2004, butthe Silver Anvil Awarded to Fleishman Hillard for its work on thecampaign was awarded in 2007. The early stages of the campaignwere very successful. According to the USPB, researchdemonstrated attitudes changed almost immediately whenconsumers read the nutrition label and the message generatingstrongest consumer responsiveness was: Potatoes: A GreatSource of Essential Vitamins and Minerals.

Next the USPB launched the Skinny Potato ad, whichprovided visual aid to the public demonstrating the nutritiousbenefits of eating potatoes. The ad gain the attention of media and

nutrition opinion leaders. It sparked conversation among thepublic, reminding consumers that a medium sized potato containsmore potassium than a banana and almost half the daily value ofvitamin C.

In November 2005, the USPB partnered with Hasbro and the second phase of the USPBNutrition Campaign launched. Hasbro allowed the USPB to recreate the classic MR. POTATOHEAD as the newly trimmed Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD. The new edition of the charactersported muscular arms, sneakers, a baseball cap, and a water bottle. The new look debuted in theform of a giant balloon in the 2005 Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. The balloon received highmarks and praise, as is typical with most balloons on the first debut in the parade.

While the first appearance of the balloon was impressive, the second appearance in the

required three-year contract does not include built-in media opportunities. For the second yearthe USPB partnered with Fleishman Hillard to think of something unique and attention grabbingto attract extra attention.


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One strength in this situation is that potatoes aretypically part of the average Americans diet. A weakness isthat certain nutrition experts were aware of potatoes nutritionvalue, yet still advised the public to avoid them. Many peoplewere invested in the fad diets and actively sought out these

experts opinions.The USPB had the opportunity to show thepublic that potatoes are a health option and expand the dietaryrestrictions on fad diets. The greatest threat was the fad dietexperts feeding the media information against the healthbenefits of potatoes.

The situation provided the Fleishman Hillard teamwith an excellent opportunity. The Thanksgiving season hadproven a useful time of year to showcase the Healthy MR.POTATO HEAD the year before and was approaching againquickly. During the holiday season New York City is buzzingwith even more tourists. The Fleishman Hillard team

suggested that the USPB created the Healthy MR. POTATOHEAD Quarters, in which the giant balloon would beconnected to a culinary and tourist attraction in the famous Chelsea Market, located in New YorkCity. The attraction would take place the week before Thanksgiving, which is the most popularweek of the year for potatoes each year. The team chose a 5,000-square-foot space on the firstfloor of the Chelsea Market. The pop-up event helped to generate media coverage and buzz overthe upcoming Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, in which the balloon would be featured for a

second year. The Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD Quarters attraction also hosted celebrity chefdemos and sampling of healthy potato recipes, a costumed Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD, a walldisplay of historic potato facts & artwork, and a glass enclosed case containing Swarovskicrystal-encrusted MR. and MRS. POTATO HEAD figures, among other attractions.

ResearchConducting research is an important part of designing a

successful campaign. The USPB conducted environmentalscanning in the very beginning of the first campaign in 2004,taking note of the decrease in potato sales and increase innegative media attention.

In 2005 the Fleishman Hillard team conducted a variety offormal and informal primary research to ensure the Healthy MR.POTATO HEAD character was delivering the desired messages.Results showed the following;

The Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD character was highlyrecognizable with 99% household awareness

The Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD athletic makeover andtagline Potato Power! was reviewed positively

Next day recall of the character and the tag line was 99%The Fleishman Hillard team also conducted formal secondary research by auditing past

media coverage of pop-up retail marketing. The team also contacted previous marketers whoused the tactic. The research yielded that pop-upsrequired a larger budget, so it was fairly


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exclusive to major brand names such as JCPenney, Target Stores, and Nike. Through thisresearch the team determined that the USPB was the first food commodity board to attemptpop-upmarketing.

This research helped shape the campaign dramatically. Through researching theeffectiveness of the Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD Fleishman Hillard knew the character and the

tag line were memorable. The new pop-up tactic could be tied to the character which was alreadyanchored in the publics memory. The secondary research conducted gave Fleishman Hillardmore insight into how successful pop-up marketing events had been in the past, as well as typicalcost and previous issues. This research gave the campaign a more solid direction.

PlanningThe goals of the campaign were not spelled out, but from the context of the campaign the maingoal was probably;

To reenergize the potato as a healthy food with many nutritional benefitsThe objectives listed on the officially PRSA Silver Anvil summary are not SMART because

there were no quantifiable measures listed as an indicator of progress. The objectives of thecampaign were;

To increase the number of target audience members who understood and believed thatpotatoes were good for their health (outcome objective)

o More specifically, to highlight the potatos vitamin C and potassium content To involve potato farmers/shippers and retail marketers in public relations

programming(output objective)

To increase sales and consumption of the potato(outcome objective) To create a program that would draw attention nationwide and deliver messages about the

healthy potato (output objective)

The strategies and messages formed form the objectives, however, not all of the objectives wereaddressed in the discussed strategies in the PRSA Silver Anvil Analysis. For example, there is nomention of how the potato farmers or retail marketers were getting involved with the publicrelations programming. The strategies and messages of the campaign were;

To claim the media spotlight surrounding Thanksgiving (Strategy)o Potatoes are delicious, nutritious, and part of Thanksgiving tradition (Message)

To use the Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD character as an advocate for a healthy lifestyle,especially for children

o The classic potato/ MR. POTATO HEAD is reinventedo Potatoes can be fun and exciting

Make use of direct to consumer and non-traditional media channels (such as a food labelwith correct nutrition information)o Potatoes are good for you, despite misconstrued negative media attention

Primary publics;

Women, ages 25-64; particularly those with children living at home; and food andnutrition media (listed in the PRSA Silver Anvil Analysis)


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Young children ages 3-10 who are attracted to playing with the Healthy MR. POTATOHEAD character

Parents (both men and women) Health conscious adults Potato farmers/ retailers

Secondary publics;

Doctors/nutritionists/healthcare providers Teachers

Intervening publics;

The mediaThe only public directly addressed in the PRSA Silver Anvil Analysis was the group of

women, ages 25-64; particularly those with children living at home; and food and nutritionmedia. This group is very specific, but also ignores the many other primary publics this

campaign addresses.The campaign did a fair job of connecting the product information to the priority publics. The

campaign directly sought out parents and children with the launch of the Healthy MR. POTATOHEAD character toy, the slogan Potato Power,as well as the balloon in the MacysThanksgiving Day Parade. Health conscious adults were connected to the campaign via thehealthy messaging, such as the nutrition labels attached to bags of potatoes. The display of potatofacts and artwork as well as the Swarovski crystal-encrusted MR. and MRS. POTATO HEADfigures connected more towards women, but the targeted age group of women is very large. Theassociation with childrens toys makes this campaign feel very young. The campaign could have

constructed some messages to directly target more seasoned adults, especially women.

Nutrition label

Implementation

At 10 a.m. on Monday November 20, 2006 in Chelsea Market, the Healthy MR.

POTATO HEAD Quarters attraction opened to the public. The opening morning featured

hundreds of Macys paradecheerleaders and dancers, who performed the Potato Power! dance.

Two potato farmers served as emcees, delivering potato nutrition messages. The Healthy MR.

POTATO HEAD character attended in full costume and helped a farmer cut a big ribbon.


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For the next five days the 5,000-square-foot attraction hosted;

Celebrity chef demos and sampling of healthy potato recipes A free picture taken with a costumed Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD A nutrition quiz station complete with prizes for winners A Potato Power! Patchwhere kids could learn the Potato Power! dance and play withHealthy MR. POTATO HEAD A wall display of historic potato facts A wall display of photographs of potato artwork A well-guarded, glass enclosed case containing Swarovski crystal-encrusted MR. and

MRS. POTATO HEAD figures

The program was creative, appropriate and

well executed. The celebrity chef demos brought

star power and demonstrated healthy ways to

prepare the already healthy potato, appealing to

passionate food lovers as well as health conscious

adults. Pictures and dancing with the costumed

Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD character engaged

the younger audience. Also, dancing is a healthy form of exercise, which fits with the healthy,

upbeat tone of the event. The nutrition quiz with prizes engaged the audience to learn more by

offering winners prizes. The stars of the show werethe Swarovski crystal-encrusted MR. and

MRS. POTATO HEAD figures, which were encases in glass and guarded by several bodyguards.

While it might sound ridiculous to some, I am captivated by the glamorization of a classic

childhood toy. The crystal-encrusted figures were definitely a memorable talking point.

Something that did not work as well were the displays of historic potato facts and

artwork. The campaign is about educating the public on how nutritious potatoes are. Potatoes arenot the most exciting product to pitch, but the majority of the campaign is exciting and energetic.

Historic potato facts are dull, boring, and unnecessary. Also,

photos of potato artwork might be unusual, but not relevant to

the campaign. Unusualness does not always engage the

audience. Both the historic potato facts and potato artwork

photos did not work and should have been left out of the

campaign.

The overall theme of the Healthy MR. POTATO

HEAD Quarters event was all potato, all the time. Visitors

were constantly reminded of hoe exciting and healthy thepotato is. Rebranding the boring spud as the spunky Healthy

MR. POTATO HEAD character was imaginative. Erecting

the pop-up headquarters in Chelsea Market during the most

popular week of the year to buy potatoes was clever.

Everything that Fleishman Hillard attempted to do with the

pop-up event was well thought out.


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The budget for this campaign was $750,000. With that amount of money Fleishman

Hillard could afford to be extravagant and plan such a large-scale campaign. The budget was

used effectively, as demonstrated by the number of diverse attractions that took place within the

headquarters.

The New York City media outlets were invited via personalized invitations to the

opening of the headquarters. There was significant media coverage including:

Broadcast media (traditional media)o Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, co-authors of The Ultimate Potato

Book, served as spokespeople for the campaign. The duo executed 27 TV and

radio interviews, where they demonstrated healthy potato recipes for

Thanksgiving and delivered key potato nutrition messages

o A radio news release was also issued Online media (new media)

o The Fleishman Hillard team created an online, virtual Healthy MR. POTATOHEAD Quarters, so all U.S. consumers could participate in the event. The website

was meant to engage consumers on a national scale. The site also had e-greeting

cards users could download and send to friends, as well as online recipes for

healthy potato dishes

o The Fleishman Hillard team also pitched to various websites and blogs, engagingwith new media for maximum coverage of the event.

Guerilla media (traditional media)o A potato grower, a Fleishman Hillard representative, and a Healthy MR.

POTATO HEAD costumed character positioned themselves with signage in the

outdoor plaza so they were in thebroadcasts of the NBCs Todayand CBS

The Early Show duringthe same week

Print Media (traditional media)o The Fleishman Hillard team secured a feature story in the New York Times about

the pop-up event and the campaign in general

o The team distributed press kits highlighting healthy holiday potato recipes andpromoting the website to food, nutrition, and lifestyle editors at newspapersnationwide

Evaluation/ ResultsHow the USPB and Fleishman Hillard evaluated the results was dependent on each

specific objective. Some results were measured via research, others were measured in terms oflevel or involvement, etc.

Objectives:

To increase the number of target audience members who understood and believed thatpotatoes were good for their health

o Research in 2005, before the campaign, indicated that 57 percent of respondentsstrongly agreed with the statement Potatoes are nutritious. In 2007, after the

campaign launched, 60 percent of respondents strongly agreed with thestatement(outcome)


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o Research showed that 46 percent of respondents agreed that potatoes were a goodsource of vitamin C and potassium (outcome)

To involve potato farmers/shippers and retail marketers in public relations programmingo 15 potato industry members walked in the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade as

balloon handlers (output)

o

Research indicated that hometown media coverage of these famers/shipperstotaled more than 2 million impressions(outcome)o The Chairman of the USPB was present throughout the week at the Healthy MR.

POTATO HEAD Quarters. (output) He stated in an article crafted by the USPB that, The USPB has

positioned itself as the centerpiece in the potato industry when it comes toinformation, research, and innovation. That is primarily due to creative,dedicated staff who have maximized the growers' dollars in 'outside thebox' kinds of promotional activities like the Healthy MR. POTATOHEAD balloon and headquarters.

To increase sales and consumption of the potatoo

Research in 2005 indicated 11 percent of households had potato dinner meals athome in the last week. In 2007 research showed the number of householdsincreased to 14 percent (outcome)

To create a program that would draw attention nationwide and deliver messages about thehealthy potato

o The New York Times ran a half-page feature about the Healthy MR. POTATOHEAD Quarters pop upevent. The feature also included a teaser on the frontpage of the business page (outcome)

o Satellite and audio broadcasts reached 32 million consumers. Potato nutritionmessage delivery was 100 percent in every interview (outcome)

o The campaign received 21 unique online placements, such as a story on theHungry-Girl.com site (outcome)

o The PotatoHeadQuarters.com site has attracted 7,000+ unique visitors. Visitorsspent on average 5.5 minutes on the site, reviewing an average of 6.6 pages.

o Overall media coverage of Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD Quarters reached morethan 222 million consumers nationwide (outcome)

The goal of the campaign was

To reenergize the potato as a healthy food with many nutritional benefitsFrom the results listed above, both the goal and objectives were met by this campaign.

There were clearly changes in attitudes and behaviors as people began using more potatoes in

dinners and more people agreed that potatoes are nutritious. The media buzz demonstrates thehype surrounding the campaign, reenergizing the potato as a healthy food option.

My Perspective

There are several factors which made this campaign successful and award winning. Tyingin MR. POTATO HEAD was a great way to engage children and evoke nostalgia in adults. Thelocation and timing of the event was impeccable. Chelsea Market is flooded with tourists andlocals, but even more so during the holidays. The week before Thanksgiving marks one of the


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busiest cooking times of the year, where more potatoes are consumed than any other week.Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD Quarters had so many diverse attractions, so there was

something to interest everyone. Having celebrity chefs draws a certain amount of mediacoverage on its own, plus everyone loves free food. Kids were engaged by the opportunity tointeract, dance, and take pictures with the Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD character. The nutrition

quiz drove home the point that potatoes are nutritious, while also attracting people with prizes.The most surprising, but entertaining part of this campaign to me was the display ofSwarovski crystal-encrusted MR. and MRS. POTATO HEAD figures. This was so unusual, butstill so relevant. The display marked the glamorization of the potato in a way that still tied in thecharacter. This idea was fun and original. It definitely inspired me to look for creative ways tojazz up any campaign I will work on in the future.

This campaign teaches the industry to go big. The campaign was incredibly expensive,costing $750,000, but the events were huge as well. The media coverage was phenomenal. Thiscase demonstrates how partnerships between products and a little creativity can create a lastingimpact on the public.

I think the campaign could be continued, but should move away from New York. Coca

Cola recently launched a Share the Happiness campaign in which they traveled and gave awaycoke as well as soccer balls, hats, shirts, and sunglasses from their truck. Oscar Meyer Wienerhas the Oscar Mobile, which is a hot dog and bun car. The USPB should launch a cross countrycampaign that explains how to interpret the potato into lighter, summer dishes. They could use atricked-out food truck, perhaps referencing Healthy MR.POTATO HEAD in some form. Thefood truck could provide people with samples of lighter summer cuisine with a focus onpotatoes.

In conclusion, the Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD Quarters campaign by FleishmanHillard for the United States Potato Board was creative and well planned out. The details of thecampaign, from the location to the variety of activities at the event, were deliberate and yieldedexcellent media coverage. Overall the campaign met its goal and objectives. From this success itrightfully earned the Silver Anvil Award of Excellence from the PRSA.


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Bibliography

Corporate EVENT magazine - Article: Four Problems, One Solution: POP-UP EVENTS, Summer 2007. (n.d.). Corporate EVENT magazine - Article: Four Problems, One Solution: POP-UP EVENTS, Summer 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.exhibitoronline.com/corpevent/summer07/portfolio.asp#.UyJvlc4aJWo

Idaho, U.S. Potato Growers Team Up With Mr. Potato Head. (2006, Nov 22).KBOI 2 News. RetrievedMarch 14, 2014, from http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/4726216.html

Myers, M. M. (n.d.). United States Potato Board - Nutrition Campaign History. United States Potato Board - Nutrition Campaign History. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.uspotatoes.com/nutritionPrograms/uspbNutritionCampaignHistory.php

mrpotatohead.net-Healthy. (n.d.). mrpotatohead.net-Healthy. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.mrpotatohead.net/healthy.html

Mr. Potato Head looks good in crystal?. (n.d.).Didnt You Hear. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://didntyouhear.com/mr-potato-head-looks-good-in-crystal/

PRSA, (2007).Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD Quarters Silver-Anvil Award of Excellence Winner United States Potato Board, Fleishman Hillard Inc.,. N/A: PRSA.
http://www.bibme.org/http://www.bibme.org/http://www.bibme.org/http://www.bibme.org/http://www.bibme.org/http://www.bibme.org/

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Silver Anvil -Mr Potato Head