SALISBURY, Md. – In 1970, Frank Perdue first appeared in Perdue Farms’ television ads with the now-famous tagline, “It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.” Jim Perdue, Frank’s son and current chairman of the company, joined his father in advertisements in 1994. Now another generation of Perdues working in the family business will help promote the company’s products. Chris and Ryan Perdue, sons of Jim Perdue, will join their father in two new commercials featuring Perdue Harvestland organic chicken. The new ads launched Sept. 3.

“Given the number of game-changing initiatives Perdue has brought to the market with no antibiotics ever and positive changes in animal care, and the increasing demand for organic, it was the right time to add something new to our advertising” said Eric Christianson, Perdue’s senior vice president of marketing and innovation. “We had to look no further than Jim’s sons to convey that continued market leadership and brand recognition.”

“Family is an important part of the Perdue story,” Jim Perdue said. “Our advertising is one small part of that story. We have four fourth generation family members in the company, and those family members will continue to carry our values forward.”

Company founder Arthur W. Perdue also appeared in an early TV spot alongside his son, Frank.

For Chris and Ryan, it was their first time in front of the cameras for a Perdue commercial, alongside their father. “I made my advertising debut with dad after he had three decades of experience doing commercials,” Jim Perdue said. “This was a lot more fun.”

“Chris and I grew up learning from our grandfather and watching dad on TV, so we value the trust consumers place in the Perdue brand,” Ryan Perdue said.

“It’s a real honor for Ryan and me to do these commercials with our dad,” said his brother Chris. “We also learned it’s a lot harder than it looks.”

The new ads were shot on a farm raising organic chickens for Perdue. The lighthearted ads capture generational differences between Jim and his sons and showcase the contrast of old and new ways Perdue does business today.

“We know that current and future consumers demand transparency. They care about where food comes from, and how it gets to their plate. Continuously improving animal care – and sharing that progress – is one of the ways we’re changing to maintain and expand consumer trust in the Perdue brand,” said Jim Perdue. “That includes incorporating some of what we’ve been learning from organic practices into how we raise all our chickens.”

Jim Perdue will continue to appear in future Perdue brand advertising.