New Ad Campaign Highlights Mission-Driven Company’s Commitment to Being a “Model” of Responsible Farming Practices
BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Applegate Farms LLC, the makers of the nation’s leading natural and organic meat brand, unveiled its latest brand campaign, entitled “Model Farmer,” showing how the brand is a model for doing things the right way. The campaign uses humor and wordplay to underscore Applegate’s unwavering commitment to responsible farming practices and transparency in the food industry.
“For more than 37 years, Applegate has dedicated itself to providing consumers with high-quality, responsibly sourced meat products,” said Joe O’Connor, President of Applegate. “This new campaign, our first to run nationally since before the pandemic, proudly tells this story and highlights what makes our products so unique. And what better way to represent our brand than with a farmer? Our farmers bring our standards to life and are the stewards of a better food system.”
The campaign features a charming “Model Farmer” who, with his humble demeanor and rugged good looks, is often mistaken for a fashion model. When asked if he’s a model, he earnestly responds, “I am a model…of responsible farming practices at Applegate.” The ads humorously show him and other characters, like a “model dad” and a “model citizen,” embracing their inner models while enjoying Applegate products. The Model Farmer becomes a metaphor for the brand itself—wholesome, humble, and committed to doing things with the company’s mission at heart.
Key Highlights of the Campaign:
- Responsible Farming Practices: Applegate supports farming practices that prioritize the wellbeing of people, planet, and animals, like organic & climate smart agriculture. We are also committed to promoting regenerative agriculture, which can help restore soil health, increase biodiversity, and sequester carbon. In March 2024, the company announced its goal to transition 100% of the beef sourced for its hot dogs to be sourced from certified regenerative sources by the end of 2025, exemplifying this commitment.
- Humane Animal Treatment: Applegate’s proprietary welfare standard, dubbed Applegate Humanely Raised, ensures products are sourced from animals that are raised humanely, pursuant to Applegate’s standards, which includes space to engage in natural behaviors and promote natural growth, with no antibiotics, ever.
- Applegate Simple Ingredients: Consumers can trust that all APPLEGATE® products are natural, meaning minimally processed with no artificial ingredients.
- No Antibiotics Ever: Animals used in APPLEGATE® products are never administered antibiotics or administered or fed growth promotants of any type.
“We believe that by championing a different way to produce and consume meat, we can help to make a positive impact on the environment, animal welfare, and public health,” said Joe Villiano, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Applegate. “This campaign is not just about promoting our products or our model of doing things; it’s also about inspiring ‘model behavior’ in others and encouraging them to join us as a force for good in the world around them.”
The campaign features the brand’s best-selling products in videos and social media content, including: APPLEGATE NATURALS® Oven Roasted Turkey, APPLEGATE NATURALS® SUNDAY BACON® Bacon, APPLEGATE NATURALS® Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets and APPLEGATE ORGANICS® THE GREAT ORGANIC BEEF HOT DOG® Hot Dog. The campaign, developed in collaboration with BarkleyOKRP with PHD USA coordinating media buy, will launch in August 2024 to reach consumers looking for convenient and crave-able meal solutions heading into the busy back-to-school season.
The “Model Farmer” campaign marks the first creative collaboration between Applegate and BarkleyOKRP, following the agency’s acquisition of the account in April.
“Applegate’s unwavering commitment to responsible farming and transparency perfectly aligns with our mission to create impactful work that resonates with today’s conscious consumers,” said Katy Hornaday, Chief Creative Officer at BarkleyOKRP. “We’re thrilled to help bring this vision to life with a campaign that not only entertains but also inspires people to rethink the way they approach food.”
For more information about APPLEGATE® products and its commitment to responsible farming practices, visit www.applegate.com.
About Applegate Farms LLC
Founded in 1987, Applegate Farms, LLC produces high-quality natural and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, cheese and frozen products. Our products are made without GMO ingredients, and we source from farms where animals are treated with care and respect, pursuant to our Applegate Humanely Raised guidelines, and are allowed to grow at their natural rate, all part of our mission – Changing The Meat We Eat®.
Natural can mean many things, but to Applegate natural means our food is:
- From animals Applegate Humanely Raised without antibiotics, added hormones or growth promotants
- From animals fed a vegetarian or pasture-centered diet (our beef is 100 percent grass-fed)
- Free of added chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates
- Free of artificial ingredients or preservatives
Applegate became a stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods in July 2015. For more information about our products, visit www.applegate.com or talk with us on www.facebook.com/Applegate, www.twitter.com/Applegate or send a text to (908) 725-5800.
