National Pork Board to purchase "Pork. The Other White Meat" trademark US - National Pork Board have announced they are to purchase the "Pork. The Other White Meat" trademark from the National Pork Producers Council. The Pork Board has been leasing the brand from the Council since the two bodies separated two years ago.

“This is a significant agreement because we believe it is important that America’s 70,000 pork producers own one of the industry’s most valuable assets,“ National Pork Board President Danita Rodibaugh told Pork Act Delegates at the annual National Pork Industry Forum.

“Farmers know there is great risk in making improvements to land they don’t own,“ Rodibaugh said. “The same is true with Pork. The Other White Meat. As the National Pork Board embarks on its new Don’t Be Blah marketing campaign to extend the reach of pork among American consumers, we determined that it was essential that we own Pork. The Other White Meat. It simply would be unwise to invest significant amounts of money in a campaign to build on the success of Pork. The Other White Meat without knowing that we always will be able to use that trademark.“

The proposed terms of the agreement call for the National Pork Board to make annual payments of $3 million to the NPPC for 20 years. Sound business practices including appraisals and the cost of replacing Pork. The Other White Meat were used to help determine the purchase price.

The agreement also protects the Checkoff organization’s ability to pay for the trademark. Because the National Pork Board’s only source of income is the Pork Checkoff, the agreement specifies that if the organization’s ability to pay is diminished because of a Checkoff rate reduction or some other cause that the purchase agreement will be suspended, the equity will be preserved and the final three years of the existing licensing agreement will be reinstated. This would give the Pork Board and the NPPC three years to negotiate new terms based on the board’s new financial position, or give the board time to transition to a new trademark and brand.

“Purchase of Pork. The Other White Meat is a better option for the National Pork Board than building a new brand,“ Rodibaugh said. “We believe building a new brand to the same recognition level would take a minimum of seven years and cost more than the terms of this agreement. There also is no guarantee that a new brand would reach the 90 percent awareness among consumers achieved by Pork. The Other White Meat.“

The popular trademark was created by the NPPC in 1985, prior to the formation of the National Pork Board and the creation of the national Pork Checkoff in 1986. In 2000, a Northwestern University study found that Pork. The Other White Meat was one of the five most recognizable taglines in American advertising.

The terms have been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture but contingent upon final approval of the contract. If the final contract is approved by USDA, payments to NPPC would begin on July 1.

ThePigSite News Desk