Certified Angus Beef
Public Relations Intern | May 2023 - August 2023
My responsibilities at Certified Angus Beef included monitoring brand appearances, building relationships with brand supporters and connecting the brand with influencers. I also helped celebrate the wins within the company.
​
Many of my tasks throughout the summer were behind the scenes, so I ended the summer with few tangible products. Below, I share more about my experience supporting Certified Angus Beef.
Media Apperences
I had the opportunity to join the Certified Angus Beef chef and PR assistant director on two media appearances. During these events, my responsibilities were to help the chefs prepare their talking points and set the scene with props and ingredients.
Live From Detroit from the studio
During our visit to the studio, we recorded two segments. The first segment was live in the studio. Chef Ashley prepared a breakfast sandwich ahead of Memorial weekend. The second segment was recorded by the outdoor grill with Chef Gavin and was later released ahead of Father's day weekend.
​
This was my first time behind the scenes of a news station. It was really eye-opening to see what goes into helping the chefs prepare for their segment and understand how to set up the scene to fit the brand's appearance.
Live From Detroit from the test kitchen
Later in the summer, we called into the regional news station for more cooking segments. During this session, we recorded two more segments: one live for the 4th of July and one recorded for Labor Day weekend.
​
I was able to take what I learned about preparing the chefs and the scene into this recording session. However, being from the Certified Angus Beef Test Kitchen, the setup was different. We relied on more in-house talent to help set up the recording to make the segments happen.
Chef Bios
My big project throughout the summer was writing bios about all 30 of the Brand Ambassador chefs. These chefs had been chosen because of their love for the brand, support for the beef industry and culinary talents. Many of these chefs cook and/or manage high-rated restaurants around the country.
​
The Process
I interviewed four or five chefs each week. The interviews lasted about 20 minutes depending on the chef and we discussed their career, why they became a chef and the restaurant culture they have created. During our conversations, it was important I understood their motivation to become an excellent chef and use the highest-quality product. I was also interested in their fun facts, so I asked questions like, "What is your favorite meal?", "What is your best cooking memory?", etc.
​
Then, I wrote their story. Each bio was about a page in length and included a long and short bio and fun facts. I did my best to share all of the chefs' great stories about their careers. The short bios were four to five sentences long and answered the basic questions about who they were and where they worked. The long bios covered more depth on the chef. They were formatted in the following structure: their pivotal early career memory, introducing the chef and their restaurant, what sets their restaurant apart, why they chose to serve Certified Angus Beef and their best memory with the brand.
​
Each bio was paired with a photograph of the chef, supplied by the chef.
​
The Purpose
Each chef has a strong relationship with Certified Angus Beef. The chefs serve as spokespeople for the brand in the media, share their recipes and work closely with the brand on campaigns. It is important the brand can highlight the chefs when necessary. These bios are used to highlight the chefs at partnership events, for marketing campaigns and to help staff better understand who uses the product.
​
When I left in August, one bio had been shared at an event in Mexico and others had been requested for events across the country.
Media Release
As in many public relations roles, I wrote media releases to celebrate wins within the organization. I worked with different departments within the company to share the impact of their campaigns.
Certified Angus Beef Recognizes Beef Quality Researchers
The VanStavern Award sponsored by Certified Angus Beef recognizes student researchers dedicated to improving beef research. The scholarship is important to the brand and its' history. The 2023 recipient was Andres Mendizabal, a graduate assistant at Texas Tech University. The story shares the importance of the scholarship, Mendizan's research and recognizes award runner-ups.
Jack of All Cuisines
Certified Angus Beef Chef Venoy Rogers competed on The Ruko Channel's Morimoto’s Sushi Master. His appearance was a great representation of the brand and allowed the chef to diversify his skills. The focus of this release is to share his experience and what he gained. It was important to highlight how this show benefits the work he has since done in the Culinary Center.