Maine Potato Board
CASE STUDY
Helping the Maine Potato Board Cultivate a Stronger Voice Across Maine
The Maine Potato Board (MPB) represents over 300 family-run farms and serves as the unified voice of Maine’s potato industry. Headquartered in Presque Isle, MPB supports an agricultural sector that drives over $1.3 billion in economic impact and sustains more than 6,500 jobs statewide. Through advocacy, education, marketing, and research, MPB’s mission is to protect and promote the Maine potato—one of the state’s most iconic and vital crops.
“Close By, Far Better” Elevates a $1.3 Billion Industry
Challenges Faced
While the Maine potato is a point of pride in Aroostook County, brand awareness and legislative engagement were less rooted in other parts of the state. With new leadership and a shifting policy climate in Augusta, MPB saw an opportunity to broaden its impact and visibility.
Objectives
- Expand brand awareness in Portland and southern Maine markets, where “buy local” often favors coastal agriculture.
- Reignite pride and connection among growers and farming families across the state.
- Educate a new wave of legislators on the industry’s economic contributions and policy needs.
- Strengthen digital engagement across email and social media.
The Strategy
Our core theme—“Close By, Far Better”—positioned Maine potatoes as not just a local product, but a superior one, grown by hardworking families with deep Maine roots. We built a layered media and messaging campaign composed of storytelling, strategic targeting, and statewide reach. To bring the strategy to life, we:
- Updated website content and imagery to support both consumer education and legislative outreach.
- Researched seasonal buying behaviors and coordinated a high-impact media buy across southern Maine, using TV, radio, and digital platforms.
- Produced video and visual assets showcasing real growers, family moments, and Maine farmland—blending emotion with credibility.
- Refreshed MPB’s monthly newsletter to better serve growers with updates, resources, and community wins.
- Created social media content that delivered economic facts, behind-the-scenes farming stories, and advocacy moments that humanized the data.
The Results
The campaign helped reframe how both policymakers and the public perceived Maine potatoes. Southern Maine audiences were reintroduced to the quality and proximity of a product they’d overlooked, while growers saw their work reflected in meaningful, modern storytelling. The refreshed newsletter and website brought a stronger voice to the industry’s core communication tools, and the campaign materials helped equip MPB with content it could continue using well beyond the campaign launch.
Produced video showcasing real growers, family moments, and Maine farmland—blending emotion with credibility
Delivered creative social media content that delivered economic facts for various regions of Maine
Expand brand awareness in Portland and southern Maine markets, where “buy local” often favors coastal agriculture.
“We’ve always known potatoes mattered to Maine, but the team at Sutherland Weston helped us tell that story in a way Mainers could really connect with. They helped us go from just talking about potatoes to showing people how much they truly mean to our economy and our communities.”
Think Your Brand is “Just” a Commodity? Think Again.
Let’s work together to show your impact, shift perceptions, and earn the recognition you deserve.