United Sorghum Checkoff Program

Changing perception of the “forgotten grain”

Situation

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program wanted to increase consumer awareness of sorghum. Although sorghum has greater nutritional value and is more sustainable than comparable grains like quinoa or rice, it’s been labeled as the “forgotten grain” because no one seems to know or care about it.

So, we asked ourselves, “What if sorghum is not actually forgotten? What if it’s actually a hidden gem or a secret waiting to be discovered?”

And who doesn’t want to be in on a secret, right?

Goal

Entice consumers to discover food’s best-kept secret

Action

We developed a series of bold video ads and landing pages that break the wholesome, “granola” conventions of grain marketing to communicate that sorghum is food’s best-kept secret. Sorghum is in a class of its own, and its brand and marketing now reflects that.

What distinguishes Middle from others is their ability to work quickly without compromising quality, delivering top-notch results with meticulous attention to detail – their deep understanding of the agriculture industry is a major asset to any agricultural business looking to enhance their marketing efforts.

Clint White, Director of Communications

Outcome

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program promoted this campaign through email, social media, and paid YouTube advertising. The video ads have earned over 78 million impressions, 10 million views, and 131,000 clicks. The top performing ad has a 34.71% conversion rate.

Awards & Honors

NAMA Award
2024 National Best of NAMA
Company or producer-funded advertising campaign directed to consumers
NAMA Award
2024 NAMA Region II First Place
Company or producer-funded advertising campaign directed to consumers
NAMA Award
2024 NAMA Region II First Place
Website directed to consumers

Project Recap

Client
Industries
Food & Agriculture
Services

Research & Strategy
Branding & Identity
Campaign Development
Digital Experiences
Video & Motion

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