When family and friends gather together , beef is often at the center of the plate and the conversation . Whether enjoying meatballs , tacos or skirt steak with an Asian flare , beef elevates the feeling of togetherness .

To share how beef is part of memorable moments , the National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association ( NCBA ), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff , created the “ Real People . Real Stories .” video series . An extension of the “ Together We Bring More ” campaign , this new series promotes the Beef . It ’ s What ’ s For Dinner . brand by featuring real people and their real stories .

A beef meal is worthy of getting together , and many people do just that every day . The new series documents authentic moments of people from every walk of life , who come together and celebrate their bond the same way — with a delicious beef meal . So far , three videos demonstrate how people from across the country celebrate their traditions and the important role beef plays in their gatherings .

“ I think this series helps consumers connect with the Beef . It ’ s What ’ s For Dinner . brand in a different way ,” said Sarah Reece , senior executive director of brand marketing at NCBA . “ Viewers see themselves in these stories , and they remind them how important beef is in their own family functions .”

One video , “ Comida Familiar ,” highlights a group of friends , originally from Mexico City , as they come together around Ribeye Tacos with Chile Morita Salsa to continue the traditions of their culture and homeland . Another one celebrates family and friends coming together every Sunday to enjoy Grandma ’ s Famous Beef Meatballs . Finally , the Asian Lion Dancing Troupe cooks up their favorite dish — Vietnamese Shaking Beef — with the same rhythm and passion as their traditional dance . Each story includes an accompanying beef recipe featuring different cuts and flavors .

The videos are available on YouTube and are shared on BeefItsWhatsForDinner . com , social media and through Connected TV . To date , the videos have generated 4.8 million impressions and have been viewed 3.2 million times , with “ Comida Familiar ” the highest performer with a 77.2 % view rate . This storytelling series will continue with several new videos coming in 2025 .

“ Based on market research and focus groups , we heard from consumers that they value how beef connects them with others ,” Reece said . “ Beef builds relationships , and we want to celebrate that through this project .”

Highlighting successful programs of NCBA as a contractor to the Beef Checkoff .

RESTAURANT UPDATES

Comedian Kevin Hart ’ s plant-based concept , Hart House , suddenly closed in September . Hart House opened in 2022 with plans for 100 locations locations by 2027 . 5 National news outlets with a potential reach of 1.5 billion reported on the closings . 1

Wendy ’ s and Burger King received significant media attention for menu collaborations featuring The Addams Family and the 25th Anniversary of Spongebob Squarepants . 1

FOOD HOLIDAYS & PROMOTIONS

September 18 was National Cheeseburger Day . More than 2,400 news mentions discussed the discounts and deals offered by chains nationwide . Many of the promotions extended beyond National Cheeseburger Day . 1

National Taco Day was officially moved from October 4 to the first Tuesday in October to honor Taco Tuesday . Google Trends reported that both National Taco Day and National Cheeseburger Day were among topics with the highest search interest in the U . S . on those days . 1

CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT

The New York Times hosted its annual Climate Forward Summit during the same week as Climate Week NYC in September . Media mentions of Climate Week NYC were similar to last year , but had an increase in potential reach of two billion . 1

Climate Week mentions that included beef , cattle or livestock decreased by 14 % compared to last year and the potential reach of those mentions fell by 49 %. 1

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF

Executives for Mediterranean fast casual chain Cava said that adding steak to the company ’ s menu surpassed expectations by a landslide . 2

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF

McDonald ’ s reported an increase in foot traffic since the debut of its value menu . The promotion has been extended into December based on its success . 3

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF

Media mentions about agrivoltaics are rising . The Washington Post detailed a project combining the use of land in Texas for agriculture and solar energy production . 4

ARMS # 100724-07 1 . National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association . ( 2024 ). Traditional and social media listening dashboards . Retrieved from Meltwater : www . meltwater . com 2 . https :// finance . yahoo . com / news / cava-reports-juicy-earnings-as-steak-launch-sales-growth-pushes-stock-to-all-time-high-212951404 . html 3 . https :// www . cnbc . com / 2024 / 09 / 12 / mcdonalds-to-extend-5-value-meal-offer-into-december . html 4 . https :// www . washingtonpost . com / business / interactive / 2024 / solar-farms-agriculture-agrivoltaics / 5 . https :// finance . yahoo . com / news / behind-kevin-hart-abrupt-closure-152357877 . html www . NCBA . org NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 19