E-Delivery

Pulse Canada Staff In June 2017, the pulse industry introduced the Half-Cup Habit, a campaign that encourages consumers in Canada and the US to eat a half- cup serving of pulses three mes per week. The campaign is part of an ongoing strategy by Pulse Canada, the US Dry Pea and Len l Council and the American Pulse Associa on to increase pulse consump on and u liza on in North America. Pulse Canada aims to double North American consump on of pulse products and triple their use by the North American food service industry by the year 2025. Doing so will require increased awareness of the value of pulses and how to use them. Food companies and ingredient suppliers have indicated that marke ng and promo onal campaigns led by the pulse industry are extremely valuable in suppor ng their eff orts to sell more pulse ingredients and pulse-based food products. The pulse industry fi rst began promo ng pulses to consumers during 2016, the Interna onal Year of Pulses. Since January 2016, pulse promo on in Canada and the US has achieved over four billion impressions. The pulse industry has also been conduc ng extensive consumer research to develop and refi ne campaign messaging, and measure changes in consumer percep ons and awareness of pulses. Iden fying Key Messages Pulses have many benefi ts to off er consumers – including nutri on, fl avour, environmental sustainability, versa lity and aff ordability. Determining which messages will have the biggest impact on consumer demand and how to posi on them correctly has been a key part of the North American consumer promo on strategy. Focus groups conducted in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto in the fall of 2015 helped the pulse industry iden fy the campaign messaging that would be most impac ul to consumers. Taste, nutri on and convenience were the pulse benefi ts that focus group par cipants found the most appealing. Specifi cally, par cipants were interested in learning about how pulses could provide them with protein and fi bre. Messaging during the ini al stages of the campaign focused on introducing the term "pulses", explaining their nutri onal benefi ts and providing ideas for how to consume them more frequently. Promo onal materials such as social media posts and online adver sements posi oned pulses as delicious ingredients that enhance MARKETING THE PULSE CATEGORY IN NORTH AMERICA 1 0

• Cover