• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, May 31, 2011

To encourage Floridians to buy more cheese, the Idaho Dairy Products Commission (IDPC) is employing a campaign based on an online sweeps, coupon and recipes -- backed by online and offline marketing elements -- targeted specifically to residents of "The Sunshine State."

While many of us may equate Idaho with potatoes, it is in fact the nation's third-largest cheese-manufacturing state -- and Florida is one of its key cheese markets, explains Sharon Kitroser, director of strategic alliances for Daniels and Roberts, Inc., the Boynton Beach, Fla.-based marketing firm that created IDPC's new campaign.

The "Beyond the Cracker" campaign is anchored in a site of the same name, where legal-age Florida residents were offered a sweepstakes (grand prize: kitchen appliance package worth $5,000) and a $1-off coupon on any one-pound domestic cheese product purchased in participating grocery retailers throughout the state.

The sweeps entry cutoff was May 31, but IDPC has decided to continue availability of the downloadable coupon through August, reports Kitroser, noting IDPC's excitement about the campaign's overall concept and "brisk" response to both the sweeps and coupon.

"We are aggressively supporting our farmers by rolling out initiatives that increase consumers' awareness of the many uses of cheese, in order to increase overall consumption," sums up IDPC administrator Deanna Sessions.

To drive traffic to the Beyond the Cracker site -- which also offers users a variety of meal recipes to which cheese "brings a delicious twist" (and info about the nutritional benefits of cheese) -- the campaign used advertising on Facebook and key mom, foodie and other targeted consumer sites, as well as outreach to mom bloggers.

In addition, the campaign included radio advertising and endorsements from well-known Florida radio DJs (humorous personal stories involving cheese) during prime listening times.

Depending on the results, which are still being compiled/analyzed, IDPC may consider extending the campaign and/or repeating it in Florida, says Kitroser.