QMS showcases Scotch red meat at the heart of Valentine's Day celebrations

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is putting quality-assured Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork firmly in the spotlight this Valentine’s Day, with a tactical marketing campaign designed to drive consumer awareness, inspire special meal occasions and reinforce the value of Scotland’s quality-assured red meat brands.

Running across premium media, social platforms and radio, the campaign highlights how Scotch red meat can take centre stage for Valentine’s meals, while reminding shoppers to look for the trusted Scotch logos when buying from their local butcher, restaurant or retailer.

QMS is returning to Bauer Radio from 4–13 February, with its Valentine’s-themed competition Steak-Out airing across Clyde 1, Forth 1, Northsound 1, MFR and Tay FM. The radio activity is expected to reach over 25% of adults in Scotland, with over 4 million opportunities to hear the ad, encouraging people to look for the blue logos when shopping for red meat for their Valentine’s celebrations. Listeners will be challenged to decode presenter Lynne Hogan’s clues to identify a celebrity couple enjoying a Valentine’s date night, for the chance to win a cash prize plus £100 in Scotch Butcher Club vouchers.

The campaign also features premium sponsored content with The Times Scotland online, celebrating the appeal of a perfectly cooked Scotch steak as the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat. The activity will be heavily promoted across Instagram and supported with a digital advertisement on the site. Reflecting the importance of local butchers in helping shoppers make confident choices, the feature includes insight from Rona MacDonald, manager of Charles MacLeod Butchers in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

Rona said: “Steak is the perfect cut to cook and enjoy as part of your Valentine’s Day celebrations. Flavoursome, tender and delicious, when it’s cooked just right it really feels like a treat. When customers come to the butcher, we can help them choose the right cut, the right amount, and give them confidence on how to prepare it.

“We only sell Scotch Beef. It’s farmed with care, quality-assured to high standards and locally sourced. We’re very choosy about where our meat comes from, because quality really does count.”

To extend the reach of the campaign and speak to shoppers directly where they are most active online, social media advertising will run across Facebook and Instagram, featuring the message ‘Steak nights start with Scotch’ and inspiring Scotch Beef as the hero of Valentine’s dining occasions.

Emma Heath, Director of Marketing at Quality Meat Scotland, said: “Valentine’s Day is a key moment when people are often willing to trade up and choose something a bit more special. This campaign celebrates the care, quality and flavour behind Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork – so there really is a steak to suit all tastes and preferences – while reminding consumers that choosing our trusted brands supports Scotland’s farmers and producers.”

The Valentine’s activity is part of QMS’s ongoing commitment to reinforce provenance, sustainability and quality assurance, while inspiring consumers to make Scotch red meat part of memorable meals, from low-key midweek suppers to showstopping steaks and roasts.

To find out more and explore recipes and cooking inspiration, visit makeitscotch.com and follow @makeitscotch on social media.