Nutrition Campaign Signature
Introduced At Industry Outlook Summit

DENVER—(December 18, 2007) At the 4th Annual Potato Industry Outlook Summit in Branson, MO, Tim O’Connor, President and CEO of the United States Potato Board (USPB) and co-chairman of the Fresh Demand Working Group (FDWG), introduced the latest tool in communicating potato nutrition and goodness to consumers. “Potatoes…Goodness Unearthed™” becomes the third and latest campaign of a coordinated, industry-wide, nationwide nutrition campaign.

“When the healthful goodness of potatoes was first called into scrutiny by some nutritionists and low-carb diet advocates, the USPB responded with the development of the “Skinny Potato,” O’Connor said. “While this has been a useful image highlighting potato nutrition, it wasn’t the vehicle on which a national campaign could be effectively built.

“In 2005, the Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD ™ balloon was launched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® as part of a three-year USPB partnership with Hasbro®. An outstanding number of consumer media impressions, communicating the potato nutrition message, were delivered as a result of this partnership.

“Potatoes…Goodness Unearthed” is the next iteration of the US potato industry’s nutrition campaign. This campaign signature is the culmination of months of in-depth consumer research by a leading New York City based international branding agency. It effectively conveys the core nutrition message for today’s consumers; reminding them potatoes not only taste good, but are healthy and nutritious. By including potatoes in their meals, they are doing something good for themselves and their families that fits in with today’s active lifestyles.”

The potato industry’s new campaign signature joins a growing list of agriculture commodities that have established identities through lasting consumer messages. “Pork. The Other White Meat®”, “Cotton. The Fabric of Our Lives®”, “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner®” and the “Got Milk®” campaigns have successfully created strong bonds with consumers, individual companies and state organizations. “Potatoes…Goodness Unearthed” is intended to become a long-term, comprehensive, industry effort to form a lasting identity for potatoes.

Meeting participants received a CD library of the campaign signature and supporting artwork elements, along with design guidelines to support a unified, industry execution of the campaign. For industry members not attending the Outlook Summit, these materials are available by contacting David Fairbourn, USPB Manager of Industry Communications and Policy at 303-873-2331 or by e-mail at david.fairbourn@uspotatoes.com. “Potatoes…Goodness Unearthed” is available for all industry members who are invited to use and incorporate this new campaign signature in their packing, signage and other market promotions while adhering to the style and formatting illustrated in the design guidelines.

###

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. David can be contacted at 303-369-7783 or david.fairbourn@uspotatoes.com. For complete information about the programs, ROI results, 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.