Television Debut for Scotch Lamb

The “It's Hot This Autumn” TV advertising is part of the £180,000 Festival of Scotch Lamb campaign aimed at getting Scots to rediscover the taste and versatility of Scotch Lamb during autumn, when it is at its most succulent.

QMS is bringing that message to TV screens for the first time with an STV campaign which will run throughout Scotland, kicking off on 31st August.

The campaign will also feature innovative online advertising on some of the most popular food sites as well as high-profile advertising and instore promotions in both independent retailers and supermarkets.

This year QMS is concentrating on a single large marketing push in autumn, aimed at getting people to rediscover lamb and keep eating it through the season.

Head of Marketing, Laurent Vernet, said: “With the anticipation of a reduction in overall levy going forward we have to be more sophisticated in our targeting of our advertising to make sure we are getting the best value for every penny we spend.

“In terms of lamb marketing expenditure we continue to face the problem of losing lamb levy to other parts of the UK and we are currently opening up exploratory discussions with our sister organisation in Wales to look at the options for repatriation of that levy.”

Independent research from TNS covering the period of last year's Festival of Scotch Lamb campaign shows that more people were choosing lamb from Scotland over other options.

Figures from June 2008 – June 2009 show retail volume sales of Scottish origin lamb have been stable in Scotland despite the economic downturn.

Mr Vernet continued: “In a market that was declining overall, the volume of lamb from Scotland sold in Scotland actually increased, giving the positive sign that people are really looking local when it comes to their red meat.”

Scottish origin lamb is also bucking the trend for market penetration. Penetration of lamb from all origins dropped 7% in the 12 weeks ending 5 October 2008, whereas Scottish origin lamb sales in Scotland have held up. Throughout Great Britain, penetration for lamb from Scotland has increased by a quarter.

He added: “We still only eat half as much lamb as our neighbours in England and Wales and there are still many people that were put off lamb in their childhood and have never tasted it again, so we're calling out to everyone in Scotland to go out and ask for this month's hot product, Scotch Lamb.”

Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead announced his support for the campaign.

He said: “I'm delighted to be backing this year's Festival of Scotch Lamb. It's another welcome opportunity to showcase Scotland's delicious high-quality produce and for the public to throw their weight behind our local producers and farmers.

“Scotch Lamb is often at its most succulent at this time of year and there's no shortage of delicious new recipes to sample – be it at the dinner table or over a sizzling barbeque – so it's no surprise that sales of prime lamb are increasing.

“2009 has already been a hugely significant year for demonstrating Scotland's credentials as a Land of Food and Drink. On the whole these are good times for our farmers, livestock prices are up, they are an integral part of Scotland's unique economic and social fabric, and the industry's produce is world-class.

“Demand for Scottish produce continues to soar across Great Britain while export sales are also up. The new measures in our national food and drink policy will help maintain that momentum and drive us towards our target of growing the value of the food and drink sector by a third to £10 billion by 2017.”

Further information from: Quality Meat Scotland. Tel: 0131 472 4040 o see ad at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQr8Bx8wDnc&feature=channel