CHICAGO — The Cheeses of Europe Marketing Council, New York, is promoting how any dish may go from “great” to “magnifique.” Add cheese to a dish and it becomes great; add French cheese to “Make it Magnifique,” which is the official campaign name.
“The goal of this campaign is to demonstrate to U.S. consumers that ‘The Cheeses of France’ can easily be incorporated into their own dishes at home,” said Laurent Damiens, communications director at C.N.I.E.L., the French trade body for dairy products that oversees The Cheeses of France Marketing Council. “French cheeses may be consumed at any time of the day, are absolutely adaptable to American cuisine and turn a simple meal into something magnifique.”
To bring the campaign to life, the council elicited the help of celebrity chefs and former Top Chef contestants Angelo Sosa, Candice Kumai and Camille Becerra, each of whom created their own set of recipes with accompanying two-minute on-line recipe videos. With the videos, as well as “Fromage Lesson” Internet commercials, on-line banner advertisements, magazine ads, in-store tastings, media events, a cheese lover’s web site and a pairing app, and targeted public relations and social media initiatives, the campaign is striving to demonstrate that the addition of a French cheese may elevate a dish.
During the first year of the campaign, seven French cheese styles will be highlighted, including Brie, Camembert, Comté, Emmental, fourme d’Ambert, mimolette and raclette. A new set of French cheeses are slated to be featured in 2015.
There are 20 recipe videos showcasing specialties such as Mac and Mimolette, Grilled Steak with Fourme d’Ambert, Grilled Cheese with Emmental and Red Onion and Raclette Pizza. They are accessible on The Cheeses of Europe web site, which may be accessed here. The web site also includes a glossary of French cheeses; a full catalog of searchable recipes based on meal type (appetizer, dessert, main or side) and style of cheese (blue, hard, semi-soft and soft); a list of on-line and in-store retailers; and a listing of upcoming events such as retail tastings.
There are numerous cheese brands participating in the campaign, all with representation in the United States by a dedicated marketer working with The Cheeses of Europe Marketing Council to get the word out about Make it Magnifique. Each of the cheeses comes with a story about the farmer, producer or even the process.
Click here to view a sideshow of the French cheese varieties and recipes included in the 2014 campaign.