Having farmers leading its promotion of PGI Welsh Lamb has continued to reap considerable success for Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC).
The major multi-platform ‘Uniquely Welsh. Experts in their field’ campaign has built on the success of previous years by continuing its focus on real-life stories from the Welsh farming community, with results including a significant uplift in year-on-year sales for lamb at a major UK retailer, along with a rise in awareness and propensity to purchase.
Drawn from different parts of the country, the farmers’ stories of heritage, tradition and dedication to producing quality food has resonated with the public, with a survey showing that over half of those who saw the campaign TV advert held farmers in a higher regard than prior to viewing. Brand awareness of Welsh Lamb in England has also increased significantly from 2022’s percentage of 39% to 72% at the end of 2024.
With a focus on showing how the industry takes the issue of sustainability seriously through working in harmony with their natural surroundings, having farmers front and centre has also helped challenge misconceptions and shown the reality of livestock farming in the Welsh uplands.
As Lisa Markham, who farms at Llanfihangel-y-Pennant in the heart of Eryri National Park, and features in the TV advert said, “It’s extremely heartening to see that allowing farmers to tell their own story continues to connect so well with the public. There’s so much misconception about how food is produced, and what’s involved with farming sheep, and it’s just so refreshing to be able to give our side of the story.
“The industry in general has been on a bit of a journey to make sure we’re doing as much as we can when it comes to farming responsibly and sustainably. For us, we made the decision a few years ago to farm the natural way, as our ancestors have done for centuries, and our lambs live on the natural grass – they fatten naturally.
“It’s fantastic to see the campaign have such an impact, and I feel particularly proud that the TV advert filmed on our farm has helped people see the farming community in a more positive light.”
Running during the summer and autumn, the campaign was a mix of TV, radio and digital, with wider tactical implementations of out-of-home advertising around key retail locations. In total, the campaign with precision targeting reached over 3 million people across England and Wales and resulted in 157,000 visitors to the Welsh Lamb website.
One example of the campaign’s success was the fact that lamb sales at a leading retailer rose during a key part of the campaign in September and October, year-on-year, by over 20% in both England and Wales.
The campaign utilised new technology and channels to be highly targeted and drive purchases at key retailers. By focusing on a highly concentrated store list across England and Wales, the campaign was able to draw upon available data to better target lamb buyers with a strong encouragement to choose Welsh over competitor products. This highly targeted approach helped keep the campaign highly relevant and maximise the return on investment.
For Philippa Gill, HCC’s Brand Engagement Lead, the success of the campaign is vindication for their decision to take a less traditional approach when it comes to marketing in the industry. She said, “We made the decision a few years ago to change the focus of our campaigns, by increasingly shining a spotlight on the hard work and dedication of our farmers.
“It felt a little bit risky at the time, as most campaigns in the industry tend to focus primarily on the product, at the expense of those who have created it.
“But ultimately, we were confident that this approach would work well with the public. After all, Welsh Lamb has a fantastic story to tell in terms of its tradition, provenance and quality, and the farmers themselves are proving to be the perfect people to be telling this story in their own and authentic way.”
