New year, new marketing plan. The National Pork Board is shifting its messaging to focus on younger consumers, explains Nebraska farmer and board member Bill Luckey.
Luckey raises about 4,000 pigs. He says the Pork Checkoff is a mandatory program that collects 35 cents of every $100 of value a producer sells. The funds go into research, education, and promotion of U.S. pork. As a board member, Luckey is a part of the conversation on how the money is spent. Right now, the emphasis is on human nutrition and how pork fits into the lifestyle of U.S. consumers.
“When you look back on the generations, Baby Boomers, my generation, we’re phasing out,” Luckey says. “We have to put an emphasis on the Millennials, the Gen-Zs and we probably have to market to them a little different than we have to the Baby Boomers.”
Multi-media campaigns in 2025 will showcase how pork is relevant and well-positioned to fit the needs for Millennials and Gen-Zers.
“Everyone is so busy right now,” Luckey says, noting that cooking ease and faster preparation time are valuable to a younger consumer.
Another aspect of the 2025 marketing plan is that pork will target consumers on the coasts rather than the Midwest. It’s also unlikely that farmers will see this campaign. Luckey explains that farmers already know their product and checkoff dollars don’t want to preach to the choir.
