Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the same can be said about building a new brand. But after only a year and a half, the Pork. Be Inspired brand campaign is resonating with consumers, according to an excerpt of an article in the National Pork Board’s Pork Checkoff Report magazine.

“The Checkoff’s target audience has grown from 30% of U.S. households to 35%,” says John Green, director of strategic marketing for the Checkoff. “The number of consumers who report confidence in cooking and enjoying pork cuts has grown significantly.” 

This information comes from a tracking study conducted June 14-19 that polled 1,200 households across the country. Digging deeper into the data, reported consumption by those in the target market appears to be growing. When asked how many times in the past two weeks fresh pork was served in their home, the average frequency was three, up 10% from the May 2010 tracking study.

The findings are the result of the Checkoff’s integrated marketing programs, such as the Good and Good for You promotion, conducted in the first quarter. The promotion focused on sharing the news that the American Heart Association had awarded its Heart-Check mark to pork tenderloin. Highlights of the promotion included:

• The American Heart Association logo was featured alongside a pork tenderloin recipe in national advertising from January through March in magazines, such as Cooking Light and Woman’s Day, and in online ads.

•The Pork Checkoff partnered with Publix, a retailer with 1,058 stores in the southeastern United States, to promote lean pork cuts. The four-week partnership consisted of a radio campaign, online and Facebook ads and a blogger event. Publix reported a double-digit increase in pork sales during the promotion.