Potatoes: Real Food. Real Performance. A Campaign Transforming Consumer Perception

December 4, 2024

Potatoes have long been a nutrient-dense powerhouse, ideally suited to fueling an active lifestyle. Yet, many consumers needed to be made aware of their impressive nutritional benefits. To change this, Potatoes USA launched the “Potatoes. Real Food. Real Performance.” campaign in 2018, firmly positioning potatoes as an essential part of athletes’ diets and an everyday energy booster.

Highlighting Real Athletes and Everyday Champions

At the outset, the campaign spotlighted real athletes—from elite athletes to weekend warriors—relying on potatoes to reach their peak performance. Potatoes became the official vegetable of the Rock N’ Roll Marathon series, and the launch of Team Potato created a growing community of everyday athletes motivated to fuel their performance with potatoes.

Today, this message resonates stronger than ever. Team Potato’s online community has surpassed 10,000 members on platforms like Facebook and Strava, and the number is increasing daily.

Expanding the Movement

Over the six-year journey, the campaign has evolved from targeting athletes to appealing to wider audiences, nurturing lifelong potato enthusiasts, and advocates for the energy-boosting power of America’s Favorite Vegetable.

Social media is instrumental in driving this shift. Influencers, athletes, and “Ambassataters” (college students posting potato content) actively spread the word on social media sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. These engaging posts showcase the performance benefits of potatoes, inspiring consumers to enjoy potatoes to fuel their everyday activities.

Team Potato’s innovative fitness challenges on Strava have captivated a global audience. One of these events featured the “Potato Power-Up Challenge,” which encouraged participants to track 620 minutes of physical activity—one minute for each milligram of potassium in a 5.3-ounce potato—for a chance to win prizes. Over 101,000 people worldwide completed the challenge, emphasizing potatoes’ relevance in active lifestyles.

The campaign’s impact is expanding beyond the U.S.; it’s caught the eye of European potato organizations in the Netherlands, Poland, and Belgium. They’ve begun spreading the message that potatoes are a cornerstone of an active, energized lifestyle.

Perception Shift: The Results Speak for Themselves

The campaign has dramatically reshaped consumer attitudes about potatoes:

• “Good for recovery” increased from 41% to 55% (2018–2024).
• “Provide sustained energy” jumped from 59% to 66%.
• “Good for athletic performance” rose from 40% to 51%.
• “Used and approved by athletes” climbed from 36% to 48%.

These numbers underscore a powerful cultural shift—from the outdated stereotype to a celebrated food of performance and endurance.

Through creative storytelling, authentic engagement, and clear nutritional messaging, the “Potatoes. Real Food. Real Performance.” campaign transforms the perception of potatoes. Whether running a marathon, crushing a workout, or simply powering through the day, potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse.