Major Brands Recognize the New Heartland Consumer in National Ad Campaigns

NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwire - Aug 14, 2012) - PepsiCo has recognized the importance of the "new Heartland" consumer by incorporating both talent and messaging, which resonates with that newly-identified segment, into its national campaigns for Lipton Iced Tea and Mountain Dew.

 The "new" Heartland, home to 60% of US consumers, is underserved and overlooked by most brands, according to branding expert and author, Paul Jankowski.

"Many branding decision-makers disregard the cultural nuances of the new Heartland and fail to create campaigns that 'Speak American,' or are culturally relevant to this segment," stated Jankowski, Chief Strategist at consumer engagement agency, Access Brand Strategies (ABS). "A lot of agencies and clients apply a one-size-fits-all strategy because they don't know this segment and in many cases are afraid to immerse themselves in a culture that's foreign to them."

Access Brand Strategies, the leading expert in the new Heartland consumer, is retained by Lipton and Mountain Dew to build their respective Heartland strategies. Jankowski recommended and secured Lady Antebellum for Lipton and Jason Aldean for Mountain Dew. In addition, ABS worked hand-in-hand with PepsiCo's advertising, PR and digital agencies to activate strategies and ensure that all facets of the integrated campaign were in step with Heartland consumers.

Lipton recently unveiled its "Drink Positive" ad campaign featuring Grammy award-winning trio Lady Antebellum. Marc Hanson, Brand Director at Lipton, stated, "Lady Antebellum is the voice of the new Heartland, home to generations of Lipton lovers. They were the perfect match to represent the positive spirit of the Lipton brand and bring the campaign to life. "

Mountain Dew, created in the hills of Tennessee over 60 years ago, recently launched the "This is How I Dew" campaign which features country music superstar Jason Aldean as well as other music stars and action sports celebrities.

According to Brett O'Brien, Vice President of Marketing for Mountain Dew, "Jason Aldean authentically represents the important Heartland consumer -- a group that is at the core of what makes this brand so strong nationally."

The new Heartland region, which represents 177 million people, is defined as the Midwest and parts of the Southwest and Southeast. Paul Jankowski is the author of "How to Speak American: Building Brands in the New Heartland," the first deep study of the new Heartland consumer and the role core values play in buying behavior. His research indicated that new Heartland consumers are highly motivated by faith (not religion), community and family, and he cautions against the inevitable pitfalls of ignoring this group's unique personality.

Access Brand Strategies (http://accessbrandstrat.com) is a consumer engagement agency, providing clients with industry leading expertise in reaching the 60% of U.S. consumers in the new Heartland. ABS helps brands become culturally relevant to their consumers through a wide range of brand development services including brand strategy, content creation, digital, branded entertainment and sponsorship acquisition/activation.