The Winter Springs, Fla.-based National Watermelon Promotion Board has launched an online toolkit to promote watermelon during the winter months.
The resources are housed at www.watermelon.org/wintermelon, according to a news release.
The new landing page is designed as a resource for retailers, media and industry members, such as watermelon importers, to help position and promote watermelon year-round, the release said.
Although year-round watermelon promotion is not new, in the past few years the communications team at NWPB has created several new resources in support of winter watermelon marketing efforts, board officials say.
Those assets have been curated in a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate format and include:
- Lifestyle “sizzle reel” video.
- Fun and energetic Wintermelon graphics and logos.
- Social media sample posts.
- Lifestyle images with people, including kitchen prep and grazing boards.
- Recipes, like a Watermelon Mule.
- Carvings, such as Christmas tree cutouts and snowman.
- Health and nutrition messages.
“It is not only our responsibility to promote watermelon year-round, but also to support others’ marketing efforts as well,” Stephanie Barlow, senior director of communications, said in the release. “While watermelon is synonymous with summertime, in the winter it is a welcome treat that provides happiness and healthiness for the family. At 92% water, it has the hydration we need every day of the year and also the excellent source of vitamin C helps keep us healthy during holidays, whether spending time indoors or out in the cold.”
This new bank of assets — images, video and Wintermelon graphics — is available to encourage winter watermelon sales and marketing efforts, according to the release.
“The Board has learned that if retailers stock watermelon in the winter, their customers will purchase it,” Barlow said in the release. “We need to move past the summer-only bias. We are breaking the mold by educating on watermelon being a year-round fruit. Consumers want a dose of happy in the winter, a sweet treat that makes them feel good. Watermelon is a wintertime win!”
The release said all promotional materials are free to download and use and can be found at www.watermelon.org/wintermelon-toolkit.
For more information about the Wintermelon Toolkit, contact Barlow at sbarlow@watermelon.org.
