‘Treasure Hunt’ Site Promotes U.S. Beef and States Where Beef is Produced

More than 1 million Japanese consumers took part in the “U.S. Beef Treasure Hunt” contest through a website featuring educational information on U.S. beef

As part of an effort to promote U.S. beef in Japan during the busy season, USMEF conducted a successful social media and website campaign that increased awareness of the quality and value of U.S beef while also educating Japanese consumers about U.S. producers and the places where they raise cattle. Funding support was provided by the Texas Beef Council, the USDA Market Access Program (MAP) and the Beef Checkoff Program.

To participate in the “U.S. Beef Treasure Hunt,” consumers simply logged in to a specially-designed website featuring a map of the U.S. and highlighting states well-known for beef production. By clicking on an individual state, the consumer was instantly made eligible for a prize. As the contestant waited to learn about his or her prize, the site projected “American Beef Story,” a 30-second educational video introducing U.S. beef through rotating question and answer slides.

Following the brief video, the consumer was treated to information about the state he or she had chosen. For example, Japanese consumers who chose Texas were shown a storyboard that read, “Texas instantly reminds us of cowboy, because it is the state with a long history of cattle raising. As the largest beef producing state with the largest number of farms, Texas is famous for authentic Texas-style barbecue. Rich flavor and taste by low and slow cooking are very popular with Americans . . . ”

The Treasure Hunt ended Aug. 31 with more than 1.2 million entries logged. The educational video was viewed more than 450,000 times. Japanese consumers were allowed to enter once per day, and a new winner was chosen daily. An additional entry was allowed for those who relayed information about the contest through Twitter. Prizes included packages of U.S. beef and U.S. beef cooler bags.