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Federation talks turkey as the ‘perfect protein’

11/12/2004

It’s that time of the year. More turkey is consumed between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than the whole rest of the year. While defending that dual-edged sword, the National Turkey Federation also is trying to promote the use of the bird’s meat during the other 10 1/2 months of the year by promoting its high-protein, low-fat content to low-carb dieters.

An ad campaign launched this past summer calls turkey “the perfect protein.” Turkey has 8 percent more protein and less fat than beef or chicken, “making it a great choice for the 44 percent of adults who are cutting carbohydrates and the 64 percent who are avoiding fat,” according to Sherrie Rosenblatt, NTF’s senior director of marketing and communications.

“For the low-carb dieter, turkey is the perfect lean protein choice,” said Rosenblatt. “And even if you’re not cutting carbs, it’s a nutritious, easy-to-prepare, great tasting choice for a meal. We want to make sure consumers remember turkey is the perfect protein the next time they visit the supermarket.”

The $3 million marketing campaign will include print advertising in select publications, a public relations effort and consumer-aimed features on the NTF’s web site, www.eatturkey.com. It also will highlight the availability of easy-to-prepare turkey parts in an effort to dispel the notion that turkey is difficult or time-consuming to cook.

The campaign stems from research conducted by the federation earlier this year that shows consumers are unaware of the variety of new turkey cuts and products now available or how to prepare them. Yet, when reminded of turkey as a mealtime option, consumers’ desire to serve it increases by 11 percent.