Potatoes Fuel Performance: The New Branding Platform for Potato Industry

The U.S. potato industry is focusing on real science in a new marketing and advertising campaign that supports the performance-boosting benefits of potatoes by showcasing how adding potatoes to your workout routine or meals can lead to better results for athletes and those who lead active lives.

Online videos promoted on Facebook and Instagram from SRG (Sterling Rice Group), begin airing this week with the new tagline “Potatoes. Real Food. Real Performance.”

The stories in the films demonstrate how adding potatoes to your meal can have a positive impact on one’s ability on the soccer field, biking up a mountain, running and other activities.

“The potato undeniably works in the athlete’s favour,” says Blair Richardson, Potatoes USA President/CEO. “The message is clear: If potatoes can fuel elite athletes, they can fuel your active life, too.”

Potatoes USA has conducted extensive research on the benefits of potatoes and found that most people don’t consider it a performance food and are surprised to learn of its nutritional benefits. A medium potato with the skin on has more potassium than a medium-size banana and is packed with more nutrients than any other popular vegetable.

In one of the films created by SRG we see a bike rider peddling hard up a hill. After a break where we see her eating some potatoes, the film returns to the ride up hill but this time a new image is superimposed on the original bike climb to show the rider going faster and further with copy that declares, “You. Better.” Another features a soccer player and another a runner.

“Our performance strategy speaks to elite athletes and weekend warriors by asking ‘what are you eating,” explained Adam Wohl, Executive Creative Director at SRG. “The advertising and supporting influencer campaigns leverage the science behind the benefits of potatoes to demonstrate that getting the most out of your workout or actual competition isn’t just about how you train, but also about what you eat.”

The new approach from Potatoes USA also brings real Olympic athletes and other professional athletes to the conversation about the benefits of potatoes through a multi-level influencer initiative. Athletes will be posting original content on social media channels and in blog posts. Also featured in the influencer effort are well noted Exercise Physiologist Dr. Allen Lim and Olympic coach, trainer a chef Alan Tran.