CAG ConAgra Brands Inc

From Action Sports & Baseball to Chili-Making, ConAgra Foods Serves up Snacks & Meals With America's Pastimes As New Data Confirms Power of Tapping Fan Passion to Drive Brand Loyalty Food plays a big role in America's passion for pastimes and playtime. And according to a new consumer survey, tapping into fan loyalty - no matter what the sport - can turbo-charge any drive for consumers to sample and remain loyal to products. Today at the 2006 Food Marketing Institute show (FMI), ConAgra Foods unveiled strategic new sponsorship-marketing initiatives that provide engaging, memorable ways for consumers who like it hot and action-oriented to connect their food and fun with key ConAgra Foods brands. The FMI Show continues through May 9. Several top ConAgra Foods brands - including Hebrew National, Slim Jim, Banquet, Orville Redenbacher's, Hunt's, Ro*Tel and DAVID Seeds - are taking prominent positions on a variety of consumer playing fields to surprise and engage Americans with their brand experience and character. Driving retail sales and volume, integrated marketing programs will engage consumers in these venues and spark purchases. A new ConAgra Foods' "What's in Store," survey underscores the value of these consumer connections, as the majority of respondents (51 percent) said they would consider regularly purchasing a product at the grocery store that they heard about or tried for the first time at a sports game or event. "By integrating our products into high-impact sports, entertainment and lifestyle properties and programs, we can turn the passion of these fans into a passion for ConAgra Foods brands," said Michael Hargrave, vice president, Sponsorship & Event Marketing, ConAgra Foods. "The fun part is tailoring programs to meet consumers where they eat and play, which gets us into all sorts of hot, action-packed pastimes - from baseball and NASCAR to action sports and chili-making." Activating Sponsorships for ConAgra Foods in 2006 -- Hebrew National Stadium Activation - Hebrew National franks, served at dozens of baseball stadiums - more than any other hot dog - have long been kosher with baseball fans. Fans know it's not just a hot dog. It's a Hebrew National. The brand will tap into baseball stadiums to show consumers in-store and in ballparks - including four new ballparks serving Hebrew National hot dogs this year - how to upgrade their experience with a Hebrew National. -- DAVID Seeds 80th Anniversary Summer Tour - To celebrate its 80th Anniversary, DAVID is embarking on a Summer Baseball Tour, featuring fun for fans with games, contests, the latest big league equipment and signed memorabilia. The brand is taking its new DAVID Seedmobile(TM) on the road to 27 cities, giving fans a chance to try their baseball skills and get a first-hand feel for the flavor and fun of the game. Fans will have an opportunity to test their fastball against a DAVID Seed speed gun, catch packets of DAVID Seeds from the Spitter Car(TM), check out baseball equipment of today's Big League stars, play baseball video games and compete in seed-spitting contests. -- NASCAR - As past and current sponsor of the Banquet 400 and Joe Gibbs Racing, the association between ConAgra Foods and NASCAR has driven sales and awareness successfully for our brands. This year, ConAgra Foods' tradition with one of America's favorite spectator sports continues, with a revitalized focus of connecting more with consumers on track and at home. The Banquet brand will be leveraging its brand strength and consumer loyalty to bring exciting in-store and out-of-store events with the "Fuel Your Family Racing Event." This integrated brand program ties three blockbuster NASCAR entities into one high-profile Banquet sales and promotional event: -- The Banquet 400. The 4th Stop on the Chase for the Nextel Cup taking place at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 1, 2006. -- Tony Stewart. Two-time and current NASCAR Champion will race the No. 19 Banquet car at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 4, 2006. -- The Daytona 500. Known as the "Great American Race" and NASCAR's most popular race. Banquet is the official frozen meal at Daytona International Speedway. -- Six Flags Activation - As a national sponsor of all Six Flags' parks in the U.S., ConAgra Foods has provided quality, name-brand food items that consumers love. The sponsorship has connected consumers to ConAgra Foods brands through naming rights on popular Six Flags attractions such as family theaters presented by Orville Redenbacher's. In addition, other popular ConAgra Foods brands at the parks are Hunt's Snack Pack, included in every kids' meal, and Hunt's Ketchup, the Official Ketchup of Six Flags. In 2006, ConAgra Foods helped enhance the guest experience at Six Flags by offering its high-quality, 100 percent kosher beef Hebrew National hotdogs as well as increasing the amount of fresh popped Orville Redenbacher's(R) popcorn being offered at the parks. -- Chili Cookoff - For the second consecutive year, ConAgra Foods will sponsor the World's Championship Chili Cookoff(TM) in Omaha, which brings together more than 400 of the world's best chili cooks Oct. 6-8 to compete in the championship cookoff. With an estimated 10,000 fans in attendance, the cookoff is an excellent opportunity for fans to experience ConAgra Foods brands that are perfect ingredients for a great chili. As part of the partnership, ConAgra Foods will sponsor a $5,000 prize for the winning red chili that includes ingredients from the company's brands, such as Hunt's tomato products, Gebhardt's(R) chili powder and Ro*Tel(R) diced tomatoes and chilies. -- Ro*Tel - ConAgra Foods' Ro*Tel brand continues to turn up the heat for consumers during college football season with the Ro*Tel Football Rivalry - a consumer retail promotion that brings together spicy food lovers and sports. Ro*Tel is leveraging its No. 1 usage, Ro*Tel's Famous Queso Dip, and exclusive retail partnerships to bump sales an average of 35 percent in key markets, such as Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Jacksonville, Memphis and South Carolina. To help drive consumers into their stores during college football season, ConAgra Foods sales teams partner Ro*Tel with top retailers to customize promotions, with game plans that include local radio spots, public relations, valuable coupons in retailer coupon booklets, as well as in-store displays and samplings to encourage consumer purchases and increase brand visibility. In addition, retail partners are able to promote prize packages that include such items as free game tickets, stadium hospitality suite passes and free game-day shirts. -- Slim Jim - The brand team is taking center stage by sponsoring the Dew Action Sports Tour and BMX Legend Dave Mirra, a leading contender in the 2006 Dew Action Sports Tour. The Tour, which begins its second season in June, is the first professional season-long, multi-sport tour for action sports with competitions in skateboarding, BMX and freestyle motocross. Slim Jim's presence at the tour will include a branded booth and an array of interactive activities designed to engage action sports fans, including a Slim Jim vertical climbing tower, the Wheel of Snap - where participants spin the wheel and test their snap for pride and prizes, Slim Jim Showers that will mist the crowds with "cool" Slim Jim snacks and a Slim Jim Snap shot booth. In addition, to further celebrate BMX athlete Dave Mirra, Slim Jim will be introducing the limited edition Hot Mirra-cle Stick(TM) at retail. Also activated in retail outlets, consumers can enter for a chance to win prizes from Slim Jim - such as an all-expense paid 2007 Dew Tour Season Pass and a year's supply of Slim Jim, as well as plasma television or Ogio gear package. Sponsorships Take Center Stage at FMI ConAgra Foods will give FMI attendees a taste of these programs at the booth this year, including: -- In celebration of the brand's activation at ballparks this summer, and its standing as the Official Hot Dog of Wrigley Field, Hebrew National brought Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg to the ConAgra Foods booth on Sunday, May 7, from 1 to 3 p.m. to sign autographs as they enjoyed a Hebrew National frank. -- Before embarking on the DAVID Summer Tour, the DAVID Seeds Spitter Car will drive onto the show floor and launch seeds into the crowds, giving attendees a glimpse of what baseball fans will experience this summer. -- The Slim Jim Fairy Snapmother, star of the Slim Jim TV commercials, promises to be gentle as he illustrates Slim Jim "snap moments" to FMI attendees. The 2006 FMI Show, being held in Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center, is the premier show for supermarket retailers and wholesalers. About ConAgra Foods ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE:CAG) is one of North America's largest packaged food companies, serving grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Popular ConAgra Foods consumer brands include: Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt's, Marie Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, and many others. For more information, visit www.conagrafoods.com. The survey was conducted by Ipsos U.S. Express on behalf of ConAgra Foods among a nationally representative sample of 1,023 American adults from April 25-27, 2006. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.