'The huge response from all parts of the potato supply chain, food outlets and major retailers make this year's campaign the largest ever,' said BPC marketing manager, Caroline Scallan. 'In addition, popular household brands will again align their sizeable marketing spend next to the BPC's increasing the overall impact.' Potato merchants have encouraged their fish-and-chip-shop customers to get involved and display point-of-sale material bearing the slogan Love Chips an pubs and restaurants throughout UK will also take part.

As part of a week of intensive promotional activity, 10 radio stations will run promotions reaching an audience of 10 million listeners and freshly cooked chips will be delivered to news editors and programme presenters during prime-time slots at almost 800 separate TV, radio and newspaper offices encouraging them to 'give in to the taste' and give some airplay or editorial space to National Chip Week.

National consumer and regional media will run features and articles during the week about chips and make links to celebrities to demonstrate that chips are still are the nation's number one takeaway dish.

The BPC has also developed an interactive e-mail to be sent out to levy- payers for them to forward to all their contacts to generate greater coverage and awareness of the whole campaign.

Retailers Tesco, Sainsbury's, Safeway, Somerfield, Morrison's, Waitrose and Co-op have all planned in-store promotions linked to chips and potatoes. Shelf barkers, banners, bag labelling and on-line advertising will help influence point-of-sale purchasing decisions.

Last year, press and media coverage gained exposure worth some £650,000, 14 times the BPC spend.

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