Spreading the word that British lamb is a world bleater

For this year’s lamb campaign we’re going to be promoting the amazing flavour profile of lamb and its associated dishes, and how it delivers the wow-factor to any dinner time. We aim to boost people's attitudes towards the meat across a number of different target audiences with the objective of increasing the purchase of lamb.

The promotional activity will start in summer with billboard advertising at commuter locations and outside supermarkets. The main activity will take place in September to coincide with peak supply of British lamb, where we will be targeting a wider range of media channels, including video content, radio and print as well as the out of home locations. This will also link up with Love Lamb Week, starting at the beginning of September.

We will be working closely with retailers, food service outlets and industry stakeholders to ensure a coordinated approach to support promotion of the sheep sector.

The campaign will support the sheep sector in the face of Brexit uncertainty as it has become increasingly clear that it could be particularly badly hit, whatever the outcome.

Current analysis suggests that in a no-deal scenario, the biggest initial impact will be felt in the sheep sector, because export channels to Europe will be restricted, potentially leading to significantly more sheep meat on the UK market and dramatic downward pressure on price. With this in mind, AHDB Beef & Lamb are preparing marketing activity to encourage shoppers to purchase lamb produced on UK farms.

The work forms part of a much wider, rolling programme of promotion of red meat, aimed at the consumers, and working with retailers, as well as addressing health, nutrition and the environment. This is part of a multi-million pound series of marketing promotions on the domestic market planned in 2019. In 2018/19, AHDB Beef & Lamb invested roughly 61 per cent of its income, equivalent to £9.76m on promotion and PR support for beef and lamb at home and abroad.

AHDB is encouraging the lamb industry to get involved and show their support for this versatile meat by spreading the message of lamb via social media, events and any other activity that celebrates the hard work by farmers in the UK to produce a meat that is sustainable and can be enjoyed as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

For more information on the lamb campaign and AHDB’s other consumer marketing activity you can visit http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/marketing/

Clive Brown is AHDB Beef and Lamb Head of Regional Development