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After months of diligent research, audience analysis and creative development, National Pork Board’s new consumer campaign Taste What Pork Can Do™ launched on May 6 with the rollout of highly focused, digital content delivered through numerous social media and advertising channels.
The day marked the beginning of multiple activations and opportunities to reach consumers, including supporting retailers, packers/processors, state associations, online influencers and others in their efforts to share the campaign’s messages.
Inviting Consumers to Taste What Pork Can Do™
“A good tagline has a call to action,” said Jose de Jesus, assistant vice president of consumer marketing at NPB. “This campaign was built on deep insights about what consumers want from their food, which is taste, balance and convenience – and all of those values, plus pork, are front and center of this tagline and campaign.”
According to recent research from Datassentials, nearly two-thirds of consumers have purchased a food, beverage or related product after viewing a marketing campaign or advertisement.i The launch of Taste What Pork Can Do™ begins positioning pork in the channels where consumers receive inspiration and information, including social media, streaming services and satellite radio advertisements, online display ads and more.
The campaign will use pork to sell more pork. Focusing on flavorful, familiar cuts, such as bacon, sausage and ham, will support category growth and ultimately encourage consumers to expand their pork experience with fresh products. Highlighting pork as an ingredient reminds consumers of pork’s flavor profile and versatility, characteristics that encourage consumers to explore more cultural and regional cuisines. Timed right as grilling season kicks off, the campaign is well-positioned to make an impact.
“The goal is to be the number one protein in flavor and expand pork from a special occasion protein to an everyday choice. Today, the average consumer purchases pork six times a year – we’re focused on convincing them to make pork their choice more regularly,” de Jesus said.
A Transformational Time for the Industry
Taste What Pork Can Do™ represents a bold return to consumer marketing for NPB, one that’s grounded in deep consumer insights and focused on the whole hog, including fan favorites like bacon.
As part of the campaign launch, NPB will engage directly with online influencers and leading food media through a one-of-a-kind experience in New York City, complete with multiple pork-focused culinary tastings while touring the city. The activation puts pork top-of-mind with the people who impact the food choices and perceptions of Gen Z and millennial consumers.
“This is a transformational time for the pork industry,” said David Newman, senior vice president of market growth, NPB. “We have a significant opportunity to build passion for pork among younger consumer generations, and we’re going to do that by being unapologetic about our product, working as a partner with the supply chain, and focusing on the whole hog.”
Delivering on What Matters Most to Consumers
This once-in-a-generation opportunity also stems from a forward-thinking investment in consumer insights and business intelligence by the NPB Board of Directors.
“We know more about our consumer than we ever have before,” said Kiersten Hafer, NPB’s vice president, business intelligence. “Our intentional commitment to developing deep insights specific to the category positions us to make the most of this pivotal time in the industry.”
NPB’s in-depth, proprietary consumer insights and typing tool, Consumer Connect, delivers pork-specific information about audience behaviors, motivations and preferences. This allows the campaign to be highly focused and meet consumers where they are and where they already get their information, with messages they want to receive. The campaign is specifically designed to reach three of the seven identified consumer segments: Confident Meat Eaters, Mindful Choicemakers and Culinary Adventurers.
Launch Day is a Starting Line
Taste What Pork Can Do™ entered the consumer marketing space on May 6, but the campaign launch is only the beginning. Moving forward, the campaign will expand to include a presence in retail stores, incremental retail ads, partnerships with foodservice, and more. State pork associations and industry stakeholders will also have the opportunity to join in and participate in the campaign through their specific marketing efforts.
“Now the rubber really meets the road,” said Patrick Fleming, vice president, demand development, NPB. “Our goal is to provide an experience at purchase through point-of-sale materials, incremental ads and more that aligns with the consumers’ experience with our information online or through media. We’re delivering messages at the point of sale – or one click from sale – by empowering retail to be a touch point for the consumer.”
The campaign will continue to evolve based on the consumer response and continued analytics of its performance.
“We want to be innovative disruptors – that means we will change and pivot based on what we learn as this enters the marketplace,” Newman said. “But we also want to create long-term change and opportunity. And that takes time and patience. We’re excited to continue learning about our consumer and delivering the meaningful connections that make pork more relevant to their daily food experience.”
May 6, 2025 - Pork Checkoff
