The Irvine-based California Avocado Commission will use advertising, social media “and a host of integrated activities” in its consumer marketing program this year, said Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing.
The commission’s consumer media plan targets avocado shoppers in California and the West who are willing to pay a premium price for the fruit, she said.
“We also provide customized support to targeted retailers and foodservice operators in the West and beyond,” DeLyser said.
The commission will kick off ads and content generated for the consumer marketing program in March that will be shared across a broad range of media, including popular streaming video and digital channels.
“Audio and radio also are key components of the media plan, as is custom content to reach targeted consumers on popular channels such as the Kitchn and Food52,” DeLyser said.
Peak-season outdoor advertising will take place in California in June and July, and social media consumer advertising will include content shared on the commission’s Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube channels.
“We are working to introduce California avocados on the TikTok channel, as well, in 2022,” she said.
The ShopCaliforniaAvocado.com site will continue “ensuring California avocado merchandise is available year-round for aficionados interested in showing off their love for California avocados,” according to DeLyser.
The commission will turn to dietitians to help promote avocados through two programs.
The first supports partner retailer dietitians as part of customized plans to encourage consumption of avocados in general and the purchase of California avocados in season, DeLyser said.
The second is the commission’s Living Well Brand Advocate program.
“This year, we are working with dietitians who also are influencers to share our California avocado brand messaging, while promoting avocado nutrition news and healthy recipe ideas,” she said.
The commission has an active influencer program, as well, that provides content through its website and the influencers’ own social channels.
The commission’s “The Best Avocados Have California in Them” advertising campaign will remain in force.
“The campaign has been very successful in both message delivery to our target consumers and in raising our already-high brand awareness,” DeLyser said.
Some of the changes made during the peak of the pandemic will continue to be in effect.
“For instance, we are still holding off on consumer event gatherings and have embraced more virtual engagement techniques,” she said.
DeLyser said she is hopeful that, eventually, colleagues will be able to safely meet in person again.
The commission shared some suggestions to help retailers sell more California avocados.
“Merchandising is key,” DeLyser said, “and prominently calling out the California origin is very important.”
The commission offers display bins and point-of-sale bins to help retailers build seasonal displays and encourages in-store merchandising creativity through sales and display contests.
Retailers can contact their California Avocado Commission retail marketing director for more information.
DeLyser also emphasized the value of featuring bagged avocados.
Bulk avocados hold the greatest market share, she said, but bagged sales have experienced robust growth for several years.
In 2020, bagged avocado sales grew 50% nationwide, and DeLyser said the pandemic had a role in that growth.
“Avoiding picking up product that may have been handled by other shoppers is one factor, as is the ease in choosing multiple items when consumers were trying to get in and out of stores quickly,” she said.
The commission is enthusiastic about the growth in bag sales because the use of packaging allows more communication with the consumer, DeLyser said.
“We highly recommend to retailers that the packages they choose strongly call out the California origin in season.”
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