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Shoppers Cast Votes in Burger Debate '08

Retailers participated this past month in a promotion designed to sell more ground beef and to get customers to vote vote for their favorite type of burger, that is. Sponsored by Cargill Meat Solutions, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Cargill, the promotion encouraged retail customers via colorful red, white and blue posters, wobblers and on-pack stickers to cast their vote in the

WICHITA, Kan. — Retailers participated this past month in a promotion designed to sell more ground beef and to get customers to vote — vote for their favorite type of burger, that is.

Sponsored by Cargill Meat Solutions, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Cargill, the promotion encouraged retail customers — via colorful red, white and blue posters, wobblers and on-pack stickers — to cast their vote in the Burger Debate of '08. In-store materials advised them to go to burgerdebate.com and vote for the Classic Liberty Burger (sans cheese) or the Double American Cheeseburger.

After the voter answered a handful of questions, his name was placed in a drawing for an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the nation's capital for five days and four nights.

This election-time event followed on the heels of a very successful summer promotion, officials said.

“Retailers loved our Summer Sliders promotion. More retailers are giving these promotions a chance,” Ivan Brown, Cargill's brand manager for ground beef, told SN.

Early participation tallies showed more than 1,600 individual store locations across the country participating, and more chains were ordering materials.

The timing, Brown said, “made it fun, building up to the election.”

Tying promotions into national events, seasons and current consumer trends is part of an ongoing Cargill marketing strategy.

The Summer Sliders promotion tied into both the season and the miniature hamburger trend, which started in the restaurant world and spread out to at-home grilling.

“Some retailers had a stand-alone rack display of dinner rolls near the meat case, and some teamed up with their in-store bakeries to create a small, cute hamburger bun,” Brown said.

In that promotion, customers were directed to Cargill's website, where they were given an opportunity to win a Slip 'N Slide water slide.

“We gave away 300 of those a week. We got a big response, and it helped our [retailer] customers drive sales.”

Brown said that part of the promotions' success is based on meeting with retailers months ahead of time and building flexibility into their programs.

“They can incorporate our ideas and POS materials, for instance, with whatever they're doing on their own. It's not just turnkey.”

TAGS: Meat