Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® (SCNB) is excited to announce the launch of their annual fall football promotions, including the always popular Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® photo contest and a new addition to the lineup – The RealTailgate.com College Football podcast.

Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® kicks off the 2012 fall football tailgating season with “The RealTailgate.com College Football Podcast”, sponsored by Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q”. Hosted by Demetri Ravanos (host of The Morning Drive on Talk Radio 850)  and Rashim Lee (editor and blogger for sports blog “Bottom of the 4th Quarter”), the weekly podcast will be focusing on college football in North Carolina. In studio guests will include collegiate coaches, college football analysts, other national media hosts and others. Demetri, Rashim and guests will hash out predictions, play-by-plays and the rivalries of the four ACC schools and ECU that the locals either love or hate: Duke, Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, and ECU. The weekly podcast will be published on RealTailgate.com, theMesh.tv, as well as the iTunes store.

Alan Jackson, executive director of Jackson Group Interactive, who is helping to produce the weekly podcast says, “we are very excited to be working with Smithfield Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® on delivering ‘The RealTailgate.com College Football Show’ through our online network of shows and podcasts  on TheMesh.tv.  The show complements the rest of our network’s offerings, and through the MESH network the show will be featured on Apple’s iTunes Podcast Store for people around North Carolina – and around the world – to find and enjoy.”

Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® continues the football season promotional line-up with a entertaining photo contest. Professionals and amateurs alike are encouraged to strike their best Real Tailgate pose for a chance to win tasty prizes from the restaurant brand. Participants are encouraged to shove a box of Smithfield’s chicken under your arm like a football and take a photo while you strike that iconic Heisman pose. Post photos at http://www.facebook.com/scnbnc or http://www.facebook.com/therealtailgate, http://www.realtailgate.com, or e-mail them to contest@scnbnc.com.

Every photo submitted will receive a $10 Smithfield’s gift certificate. In December, Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q® will post the five best photos on their Facebook page — if your photo receives the most votes, you’ll win a 20-person Smithfield’s party pack.

“Every season, we try to push the boundaries of traditional marketing a little bit, while still keeping our loyal patrons’ love for our Eastern North Carolina bar-b-q, fried chicken, and real football tailgating in mind”, says Richard Averitte, Marketing Director for Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q®. “And if we can add some fun, like with our ‘Strike the Real Tailgate Pose’ promotion’, we’re certainly going to get excited about it”, Averitte added.

The MESH was started by Hickory, North Carolina-based firm Jackson Group Interactive (http://www.jginteractive.com) and is dedicated to providing high-quality programs to a worldwide audience.  All of the shows are produced in North Carolina, with most of the talent and guests also coming from that general area.  JGI handles most of the production tasks, as well as hosting all of the shows on the network and promotion of each episode.  The MESH is currently a “Featured Podcast Provider” on the Apple iTunes Store, alongside major national television and media networks.