• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, August 9, 2011

Sara Lee's Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm brands are expanding their social media outreach for branding and product launch purposes -- an emphasis that was very clear at last week's BlogHer '11.

The brands, making their second appearance at the show, were diamond (highest-level) sponsors, and leveraged the exposure to some 3,000 bloggers to drum up buzz for a Jimmy Dean cause-related marketing initiative and new products rolling out this month.

Jimmy Dean, which has made a five-year commitment to partner with the nonprofit Share Our Strength in support of its "No Kid Hungry" campaign, used its conference platforms to officially announce the national partnership and an awareness/participation-building initiative driven through its Facebook page.

Brand representatives conveyed the importance of the "No Kid Hungry" campaign's mission to end childhood hunger in America by 2015, and encouraged bloggers to visit the Jimmy Dean Facebook page, which has been redesigned to feature a tab with information about the initiative and a link into its pledge page.

Those who take the pledge become part of the "No Kids Hungry" community, and receive updates and information about effective ways to make a difference in their own areas. Pledgers are encouraged to spread the word and increase visibility of and participation in the anti-hunger campaign through social media and other means.

The brand's BlogHer efforts already have generated about 1,100 "No Kids Hungry" pledges from bloggers -- far more than the 500 Jimmy Dean had set as a goal, reports Sara Matheu, director of media relations for Sara Lee.

Jimmy Dean is planning a number of additional efforts to build awareness for the "No Kids Hungry" initiative during the Sara Lee fiscal that started in July, including print ads in the October issues of leading women's magazines, says Matheu.

The brand also debuted its new Jimmy D's Breakfast Minis -- mini croissant sandwiches with the brand's turkey sausage, with 230 calories and 11 grams of protein per serving -- by bringing its "Great Days Delivery Truck" (featuring its sun mascot) onto BlogHer's showroom floor to dispense samples.

Hillshire Farm used a pop-up "So Good Bistro" to let bloggers try products from two new line extensions: Hillshire Farm Grilled Essentials (120-calorie chicken breast/fresh ingredients lunch solutions in four varieties), and Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations (four new premium sausage flavors, such as Chicken Apple with Gouda Cheese and Beef & Bacon with Monterey Jack Cheese).

Hillshire Farm drew attendees to the bistro with events including a guest visit/autograph signing by comedienne and "Bridesmaids" star Wendi McLendon-Covey, who is also featured in the brand's new "So Good They Think It's for Them" ad campaign.

Campaigns for the new Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farms products will focus primarily on Facebook, social media outreach and online, although TV spots for each of the new Hillshire Farm product lines will begin airing early next year, according to Matheu.