Beef Bruschetta with Roasted Garlic-Feta Spread

Producer Imaging: National Finals Rodeo Brings Opportunity for Beef Councils

Madison Doeschot - Nebraska Beef Council | April 17, 2024

Rancher with horse and dog in barn


In 2023, the Nebraska Beef Council continued a digital outreach campaign aimed at showcasing the state's beef industry to local consumers. The campaign featured YouTube video ads starring real Nebraska farmers and ranchers, including Knobbe Feedyards from West Point, Ryan & June Loseke from Columbus, and Homer Buel from Shovel Dot Ranch in Bassett. The primary goal was to instill pride in the beef industry among Nebraskan consumers while emphasizing the dedication to producing safe and wholesome beef products. 


The results of the campaign were impressive, with over 1,350,000 video views and more than 3.3 million consumer impressions. The ads, which had an average cost-per-completed-view of $0.01, garnered a 42% view rate, indicating high engagement from the targeted audience. These metrics demonstrated the effectiveness of the campaign in resonating with Nebraska consumers. 

“While today’s consumers have become further and further removed from the farm or ranch, they still have a genuine interest in food production,” said Nebraska Beef Council Director of Marketing, Adam Wegner. “Listening to a rancher discuss their methods of caring for animals and preserving the environment offers people confidence in the food they choose to eat.” 

Encouraged by the success of digital campaign initiatives, the Nebraska Beef Council plans to expand the producer imaging campaign in the summer of 2024. The upcoming campaign will include Connected TV platforms to further reach and engage with Nebraska consumers. 

In addition to digital outreach efforts, the Nebraska Beef Council also explored other avenues to promote the industry, such as advertising during the Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo (NFR) this past December. The campaign utilized existing resources and donated time, demonstrating the organization’s commitment to maximizing the impact of their marketing initiatives. 

“The NFR advertisement coincides with this big surge in the western lifestyle, I know they refer to it as the Yellowstone effect,” said Jeff Rudolph, Chairman of the Nebraska Beef Council Board of Directors. “But it was an opportunity for very few dollars to put beef in front of the public and promote our values and lifestyle to them.” 

By leveraging digital platforms and strategic partnerships, the Nebraska Beef Council aims to further elevate the profile of Nebraska beef and solidify it as a trusted choice for consumers.


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The Nebraska Beef Council is a non-profit organization served by a nine-member board of directors. The volunteers oversee the beef checkoff in Nebraska and checkoff-funded programs. Programs for marketing and promotion are funded by the $1/head beef checkoff.