Mix Up Midweek campaign returns to TV screens

AHDB’s  ‘Mix Up Midweek’ marketing campaign has returned for a fifth year, aiming to educate consumers that certain pork cuts are lean and low in fat. 

The campaign opens with three weeks of TV advertising, including a full-length 30-second advert and a shortened 10-second version to encourage consumers to consider pork medallions as a healthy midweek meal option.

The adverts, which will run from today until February 27, will be broadcast on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky and aired during shows including Coronation Street and Dancing On Ice, along with food programmes including Sunday Brunch.

The campaign will also appear on video on demand, in national newspapers and magazines and at point of sale in retail outlets and outside Tesco and ASDA stores. Kits containing posters and recipe leaflets have been mailed to over 2,000 butchers.

Social media activity will be highly targeted and placed in front of audiences who are particularly interested in health, tapping into the trend for New Year’s resolutions and new diets; as well as people interested in food and new recipes, AHDB said.

Last January's ‘Mix Up Midweek Meals’ campaign reached over 85% of UK households, with consumers’ desire to buy pork reportedly at its highest level in three years. It also generated an increase in consumers saying they knew more about pork medallions, their confidence in cooking them and their intention to purchase.

AHDB Sector Director for Pork, Angela Christison said: “This campaign comes at a critical time for the pig sector, and we are acutely aware of the immense supply chain challenges that some of our levy payers continue to face.

“Whilst we cannot directly address these challenges, the aim of our consumer marketing activities is to build advocacy long-term with consumers and support the industry by encouraging a positive long-term attitude towards pork. Demonstrating pork’s versatility, taste, nutritional attributes, and value ensures it appeals to modern consumers and drives sales.

“This is the campaign’s fifth year and it comes at an important time for the pig sector. By the end of 2021 pork was in 6.5% volume growth versus pre-pandemic 2019 levels so we’re setting our sights on helping even more people make the switch to pork with our TV adverts.

“Levels of British product lines on supermarket shelves are currently high and by promoting cuts like pork medallions as a healthy meal option we hope to encourage even more people to add it to their weekly shop.”