Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD™ to Soar Above Manhattan and Reach Millions with the Potato Nutrition Message

DENVER—(October 24, 2007) On Thanksgiving Day, most of us will gather around the family table for a feast of season and flavor. However, Cheryl Koompin of American Falls, along with 17 other potato industry members, will be taking a long walk…in Manhattan… as handlers of the Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD™ balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®.

“This opportunity only comes around once in a lifetime, and I’m so excited to share it with other folks in the potato industry,” said Koompin, International Marketing Committee Co-Chairperson for the United States Potato Board (USPB), who seized the opportunity to walk in the parade. “Everyone I talk to wants to know more about this great Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD balloon. I really like the role of ‘ambassador of potato nutrition’.”

The entire Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD balloon handler “Class of 2007” traveled to New Jersey in early October, even at the height of potato harvest, for media training. This crash course, similar to “Interview Skills 101”, prepared them to effectively deliver the potato nutrition message to media on behalf of the industry.
“Did you know potatoes have more potassium than a banana, and almost half your daily value of vitamin C?” asked balloon handler Amy Morrison, student at the University of Washington-Pullman and daughter of Darrin and Marily Morrison, owners of Morrison Farms who package under the label “Skagit Valley’s Best Potatoes”. After training, she initiated her own grassroots campaign for potato nutrition on campus. “I love telling my friends about potato nutrition, and not just because it’s so surprising to them. I feel it’s important that I support the industry I grew up in.”

The Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD character has been an effective industry “spokes-spud” in raising awareness about potato nutrition. The character came to life in 2005 when the USPB worked with Hasbro® to give MR. POTATO HEAD a healthy make-over. This American icon adopted a new lifestyle, donning a slick pair of running shoes, baseball cap, portable MP3 player and water bottle—he’s even toned-up with new muscles. This is his third and last year to jog down Broadway in the Parade, telling the world about the nutritional power-pack of America’s favorite vegetable.

“You can bet after that two-and-a-half mile trek through Manhattan, we’ll all be re-fueling with potatoes,” said Duane Preston--“Sarge”, for those who know this recently retired University of Minnesota professor. “My motto is: remember to enjoy a potato product daily. That won’t be a problem on Thanksgiving!”

Over the past two years, the balloon’s scripted appearance on network television, combined with USPB publicity surrounding the parade and character appearances with in-school assemblies, has generated more than 425 million media impressions. This year’s balloon flight helps usher in 2008 as the International Year of the Potato, as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. This momentous designation for the potato is based upon the vegetable’s strong nutrition profile and ability to feed the masses.

Here in America, we enjoy an estimated 34.5 million pounds of potatoes on Thanksgiving Day, enough potatoes to run the length of the Parade route more than 2,600 potatoes wide. Koompin asserted: “We can all feel good about serving this nutritious, delicious vegetable, not only on Thanksgiving, but year-round.”

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Meredith Myers is Manager of Public Relations and David Fairbourn is Manager, Industry Communications & Policy, at the United States Potato Board in Denver. The mission of the USPB is to increase demand for potatoes and potato products through an integrated promotion program, thereby providing US producers with expanding markets for their production. Meredith can be contacted at 303-369-7783 or meredithm@uspotatoes.com. David can be contacted at 303-369-7783 or david.fairbourn@uspotatoes.com. For complete information about the programs, ROI results, and resources and tools available to all members of the industry through the USPB, please visit www.uspotatoes.com. The United States Potato Board – “Maximizing Return on Grower Investment”.