As small restaurants are recovering from the effects of the pandemic, many are adding new egg dishes to their menus. The #EggDishChallenge is the ideal opportunity for restaurants to market their new egg creations to the TikTok platform, and the AEB to market why egg production is important.
The competition
Celebrity chef Connie Lovely Jackson is leading the virtual charge, with multiple other influencers across the country. Influencers are supporting local restaurants by finding their favorite egg dishes and posting the restaurant’s dish using the hashtag on TikTok. All TikToks with the hashtag will be eligible to win one of the ten, $10,000 prizes that AEB is donating to support egg usage and post-pandemic improvements. July 6,, 2021 is the last day for restaurants to submit their best egg dishes into the challenge. When the competition ends, the AEB and Jackson will choose the winning dishes.
Marc Dresner, Director of Marketing and Communications at AEB, stated “The viral campaign builds upon the AEB’s strategic commitment toward supporting our foodservice industry partners in the rapidly evolving pandemic environment. TikTok is quite well suited to our objective of showcasing and generating excitement around the joy of discovering the many ways to enjoy eggs in local restaurants around the country — and it’s fast becoming one of the most popular platforms for food content online.”
Social media
When asked how using a social media campaign compares to using online advertising, Dresner said, “Online advertising is always a great way to reach egg consumers; however, our goal is not simply to put a message in front of people. We want to engage consumers and inspire them to spread the word. To that end, we find social media to be a much more effective tool. The #EggDishChallenge is notable as it is the AEB’s first trial for influencer marketing on TikTok — a social media platform many of us are just now becoming acquainted with, but which we’ve identified as a powerful vehicle for reaching and engaging core target demographics: young millennial parents and early 20s Gen Z. TikTok is quite well suited to our objective of showcasing and generating excitement around the joy of discovering the many ways to enjoy eggs in local restaurants around the country — and it’s fast becoming one of the most popular platforms for food content online.”
Jackson stated “I’m eggcited to team up with America’s egg farmers on this TikTok challenge to get Americans back into restaurants and try some new, lovely egg dishes they may not be able to create in their own kitchens.”
During Covid-19 eggs became a staple in consumer’s refrigerators while being forced to prepare their meals at home. Additionally during the pandemic, the AEB launched a food service recovery program to help drive the egg market and support restaurants during this time. The program was designed to increase restaurant sales by advocating for outside dining opportunities, and showcasing egg’s versatility, nutritional benefits, and endless opportunities for consumer’s cooking at home.
