Background

Earlier this year, Steggles began rolling out new-look brand and new products with the most comprehensive marketing activity in well over a decade.

The company is now the largest chicken meat producer in the country with high brand awareness, and not been actively seeking media coverage or a strong media profile through any public relations activity.

Our target audiences were consumers, retail trade and local communities.

Our objectives were to:

• Build awareness and understanding of Steggles brand and products

• Generate relevant, consistent and positive media coverage and interest

• Leverage the sponsorship of Sydney Roosters

• Build solid, ongoing media relationships for Steggles’ executive team

• Help boost sales and distribution

• Position Steggles as a thought leader in the chicken industry

Our first step was to find a news hook for consumers that would both educate and drive sales. So, we took what was anecdotal – that people thought chicken contained hormones and steroids – and put it to the test with a Newspoll.

The result – that 75% of people mistakenly thought this was true – formed the basis of our strongest consumer campaign outside of product launches.

To announce this finding and demonstrate how Steggles would be educating the public as an industry leader, we held a briefing lunch with senior, key consumer editors and journalists and gave them the background on the company and the research. (The first time Steggles had participated in a media event like this.)

We then individually pitched stories as well as wider media approaches with the ‘no hormones, no steroids’ message. It also now is an essential key message in all communications.

Results

Widespread media coverage with – and this is the most vital element to our activity – key messages contained in more than 90% of coverage.

Coverage and feedback from industry has far exceeded client’s expectations.

In less than three months, the no hormones message from Steggles’ PR has had more than six million media impressions – and we are just getting started!

Steggles PR approach to tackle the hormone and steroid myth head on has attracted a flood of major consumer media interest from all networks and ignited ongoing discussion about the chicken meat industry.

All objectives met.

Achieved major national media coverage of Steggles sponsorship of Sydney Roosters using its Charity Nest initiative as main news hook.

We will conduct the same poll again in 12 months time to gauge the shift in consumer understanding.