Beef Scores Big With Fall Tailgating Campaigns

Are you a Hawkeye fan? Cyclone? Or maybe a UNI fan? No matter what team or sport you’re cheering on, we can agree having beef at the center of the plate is a win! That’s why the Iowa Beef Industry Council has teamed up with Iowa State and the University of Iowa sports teams to feature beef-loving tailgaters. Fans are entered into a drawing to be featured as the “Tailgate of the Game” and win a beef tailgate giveaway package.

Promoting A Shared Love of Beef

It’s a logical choice to hone in on tailgating culture where fans can connect over a shared love of food, community and their passion for sports. These campaigns position beef as the conduit to unite fans together around pastimes like grilling and tailgating to help build positive associations between beef and memorable moments. “The idea is that this helps solidify a positive sentiment towards beef among consumers and reinforce habits that include beef for future celebrations,” shared Kylie Peterson, Director of Consumer Promotions at IBIC.

Value in Partnerships

Strategically partnering with university athletics departments allows the Beef Checkoff access to each universities’ fanbase and support from university staff in promoting the campaign. At Iowa State University, the promotion takes it up a notch with a "tailgate crash." A video crew visits the tailgate, capturing the hosts' love for football, their joy in celebrating with friends, and their preference for beef. This personal touch humanizes the campaign and creates authentic connections between the beef brand and consumers. Creating excitement around the giveaway is pivotal to reaching fans. An allied partnership with each university and their talented communications staff helps amplify the message and ultimately, get more reach for each checkoff dollar invested. 

What Does A Tailgate Crash Entail?

Fans must first enter online to be considered, then Iowa Beef’s tailgate crew travels the parking lots of Iowa and Iowa State home football games looking for the beefiest dishes (and fun-loving tailgates) to crown a weekly champion. Winners receive $100 in beef certificates, 3-Piece Grilling Kit, "Beef. It's What's For Dinner" Tailgate Flag & Koozie, Beef Tailgate Party Cups AND recognition at the game! Iowa State University tailgate winners are featured in a tailgate of the game video played during the game and featured on the Cyclone Athletics Facebook page.

Kylie Peterson had this to share, “We love this promotion! The fans love the beef swag and it’s a great way to keep the conversation going around sports, tailgating traditions and why beef is such a great fit for game day eats. It’s all about brand awareness and making consumers the star of the show!”

Winning Big With Big Results

This is a feel good campaign that really has fans excited to get involved! We know beef producers are sports fanatics too and seeing the beef brand front and center is something Iowa beef producers can be proud of. From an ROI perspective, this campaign has performed quite successfully, garnering 2.2 million impressions through in-stadium and digital platforms. We invite producers to join the fun by watching the videos here and entering the giveaways here. These are your state Beef Checkoff dollars keeping Iowa "Big on Beef!"