Keeping lamb top of mind

Here Red Meat Round-Up talks with MLA’s Lamb Brand Manager, Anna Sharp, to find out more about her role and work in ensuring lamb is top of mind for consumers when they’re planning meals.

Q1: What does your role as Lamb Brand Manager involve?

It’s crucial to really understand our consumers and take key insights to communicate the relevance of lamb to shoppers. My focus is to increase the value and performance of the Australian lamb brand by building effective marketing initiatives for consumers to ensure lamb is top of mind for meal consumption.

Q2: What project/activation/activity are you most excited about at the moment?

I’m very excited about the current Summer Lamb campaign that launched on January 20. There’s been an overwhelming positive response to the campaign, which has really shone a light on Australian lamb as the protein to eat over summer. I’m really looking forward to the impact this will have on consumers to help drive sales and bring people closer together with lamb.  

Q3: What do you believe are the key opportunities for Australian lamb right now?

The way consumers are shopping and consuming food is changing. With the increase of ready-made meals, delivery food kits and Uber Eats, there’s a real demand for ease and convenience. We’re highlighting more the ease and versatility of lamb throughout our communications, but there’s also an opportunity for pre-prepared lamb in retail as an easy value-add choice for shoppers.

Q4: What’s the best part about your job?

We need to be innovative and strategic in how we communicate to consumers. In today’s fragmented media landscape, consumers are becoming more and more desensitised to advertising. There’s an incredible amount of work that goes into our ad campaigns to ensure that Australian lamb really cuts through all the noise of other brands.

For me, it’s very rewarding to see strategic creative thinking brought to life and the impact the campaigns generate. It is something we can be proud of as an industry.

Q5: What’s your favourite red meat meal?

I love trying new things and lamb has the ability to pair with so many different flavours. Recently I’ve been really enjoying a honey, chilli and lime butterflied lamb leg on the barbie, served with some grilled pineapple and slaw. Simple, delicious and perfect for summer barbecues.