Positive potato posts climb in 2022, media analysis finds

An analysis of potato media coverage found an increase in positive mentions in 2022, with more than 50% of traditional media and more than 70% of social media posts skewing positively.

The numbers were compiled by online media monitoring company Meltwater, with social posts are pulled from YouTube and Twitter. Communications consultant company Hillenby manually aggregated the data and analyzed the tone and reach, categorizing the articles by media platform and topic.

The results were reported online at potatoesusa.com.

From October-December 2022, traditional media coverage of potatoes experienced an upswing in positive posts, driven by articles highlighting holiday-themed potato dishes, the analysis found. Health-related discussions gave way to cooking and preparation topics during the holiday season, along with articles exploring the culture and history of potatoes.

Social media posts featuring potatoes reached a record high in volume since monitoring began in July 2021, according to the analysis. Cooking and preparation-related content constituted 83% of the posts and remained the top theme throughout 2022.

Traditional media produced nearly four positive articles about potatoes for every negative piece. On social media, potatoes earned about 16 positive posts for each negative post, marking the most favorable spud sentiment on record.