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70 Potato Grower | NOVEMBER 2014 Keeping Busy No rest for the weary at IPC THE IDAHO POTATO COMMISSION'S (IPC) new fiscal year began Sept. 1 and we're off to a fantastic start. In fact, our programs have never garnered so much media attention in such a short period of time. Here's a brief recap of just three of our newest programs… New National Television Commercial—Yes, the Truck is Still Missing! One of our biggest initiatives is our television commercial that airs during our heaviest buying season, November and December. The last two years the Great Big Idaho Potato Truck and our real Idaho potato farmer, Mark Coombs, have been have been the stars of our nationally televised spot. Every week we receive dozens of calls, emails and messages on Facebook from folks around the country telling us they've spotted our Truck. Not wanting to disappoint our fans, the 2014 commercial again features Mark looking for the Truck, but with some help from another grower, James Hoff of Idaho Falls. James takes Mark up in his antique 1943 Boeing Stearman Staggerwing biplane to search for the Truck, and as you might guess, he still doesn't have any luck finding it. The commercial airs on top cable channels including CNN, Fox News, Food Network, HGTV and Headline News. Reaching College Football Fans with a Celebrity Sideline Reporter We are partnering again with ESPN college football reporter Heather Cox to help us fuel energetic fans with Idaho potatoes. By filming engaging 30-second videos at nationally televised games and taking photos of a small Spuddy Buddy doll in unexpected locations for the Spuddy Buddy Caption Contest, we have been able to significantly increase our engagement with consumers through our social media channels. Heather also filmed a short cooking video in her own kitchen with popular blogger Sarah O'Donnell (a.k.a. Average Betty). It's obvious in the video that the two redheads had a great time preparing their favorite tailgating dish, Touchdown Skins. COMMISSION MISSION by Frank Muir, IPC President & CEO Spooky Spuds One holiday that many don't automatically connect with potatoes is Halloween. The versatility of the spud makes it one of the easiest vegetables to disguise. The founders of the wildly popular online Sunday Supper Movement corralled twenty of their most creative food blogger friends to develop, photograph and videotape their creepy creations using Idaho potatoes. From Roasted Potato Eyeballs to Twice Baked Potato Mummies Covered with Roaches to Bloody Mary Potatoes, there's no doubt the kids gobbled up these dishes. The recipes were promoted on all the IPC's social media channels and emailed to more than 500 food reporters across the country. Several of the recipes are available in the IPC's rich recipe database, which currently contains more than 800 recipes for every occasion you can imagine. This is just a sampling of the many programs that will take place throughout the year. While our programs are varied— just as the three I described—they all encourage consumers to look for the "Grown in Idaho" seal whenever they purchase potatoes. I look forward to sharing more exciting news with you. PG Faces of Idaho. Mark Coombs and James Hoff represent Idaho potatoes in a commercial that has aired on several national television networks. Bird's-eye view. Idaho growers Mark Coombs and James Hoff search for the Great Big Idaho Potato Truck in IPC's latest TV commercial.