For decades, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) has participated in the largest and most important conference for foodservice operators in the country, the National Restaurant Association’s annual NRA Show. Every May, more than 44,000 foodservice professionals from around the globe convene in Chicago to learn how they can take their hospitality business to the next level.
This is an extremely important meeting for the IPC because it allows us to showcase new preparation methods for Idaho potatoes, meet one-on-one with existing customers, identify new opportunities with foodservice establishments, and remind everyone why they should select Idaho potatoes over potatoes grown in other states. Additionally, at large shows such as NRA, we try to incorporate the IPC’s other marketing initiatives, such as our nationally televised commercial, so that when folks are back at home and see it, they are reminded of their experience at the IPC booth at NRA. This is one of the greatest advantages of advertising on national cable rather than only in spot markets—everyone in the country is exposed to our ads, allowing us to easily fold it into many different marketing programs.
With tens of thousands of attendees and 1,800 exhibitors representing 950 product categories at NRA, it’s critical the IPC make a big splash on the exhibit hall floor to draw as many people to the booth as possible. Years ago the booth was designed primarily to distribute materials about Idaho potatoes. It was certainly effective, but as NRA increased in size, the IPC needed to creatively find ways to capture the attendees’ attention during their limited time on the expo floor. The IPC has created a reputation in the industry for its innovative and interactive booths, and NRA 2015 generated more excitement than ever before.
This year, the booth literally brought to life the IPC’s television commercial using technology that few have seen or experienced before. The booth was set up to look like a potato field with a replica of the biplane that appears in the commercial suspended from the ceiling. With a 10-foot wingspan, the plane carrying Spuddy Buddies hovered over the entire booth, and attendees were invited to get their picture taken in this whimsical setting. Using an app created especially for the IPC, folks were instructed to take a screenshot of their photo that had been inserted into an IPC-branded frame. Within seconds the biplane that appears in the commercial crashes through the photo. The word-of-mouth this technology generated at the show was priceless.
This digital technology also allowed us to easily capture attendees’ contact information so we can follow up with them after the show, reminding them to order Idaho potatoes for their foodservice needs.
For the IPC, exhibiting at NRA and offering hands-on learning to thousands of foodservice operators in four short days is one of the year’s most important initiatives. And attendees tell us the IPC booth has become one of their first stops in the exhibit hall because they know they will be treated to a very unique and educational experience.