Bananas Marketing business updates
Chiquita eyes pop-culture role
Chiquita plans to continue pairing its banana marketing efforts with high-traffic places and high-interest happenings, just as it did in 2017.
“We showed up in iconic places such as Times Square, and we engaged with consumers in pop culture (by) visually linking Chiquita bananas to last summer’s solar eclipse, the Chiquita Banana Sun,” said Jamie Postal, director of sales for North America.
“In 2018, Chiquita will continue to be more present in pop culture, launching interactive programs with our fans with more immersive formats, such as our recently launched filter on Facebook,” Postal said.
Chiquita has its U.S. headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Del Monte focuses on retail partners
Coral Gables, Fla.-based Del Monte continues to focus on ways to stand out in stores.
“Del Monte category managers and merchandisers are constantly communicating with our retailers and their produce personnel to share best strategies for driving banana sales,” vice president of marketing Dennis Christou said.
“This includes, among others, development of eye-catching (point-of-sale material) for displays and in-store demos for specialties.
“Strategically placing secondary displays in areas such as the cereal aisle will also help increase banana sales,” Christou said.
The company also plans to continue with its annual September costume giveaway campaign, which promotes bananas as alternatives to traditional treats. More than 1,000 participants will win a banana costume.
Dole hitches wagon to heroes
Westlake Village, Calif.-based Dole has focused its latest marketing efforts on Marvel movie characters.
Director of corporate communications Bil Goldfield described the new campaign as one that “celebrates the moms, dads, grandparents and other superheroes committed to making the home a healthier place.”
Bananas and pineapples will don stickers and tags with images of Black Panther, Captain America, Black Widow, Iron Man, Hulk and others through April 30.
“In addition to Marvel characters on stickers, the program also includes a dedicated Dole microsite at www.Dole.com/Marvel featuring 30 new character-inspired recipes, plus character details and a celebration of the healthy-living collaboration between Dole and Marvel,” Goldfield said.
Equal Exchange features small farmers
Jessica Jones-Hughes, vice president of West Bridgewater, Mass.-based Oke USA, the importing arm of Equal Exchange, said the company has designed its latest marketing campaign to highlight why it focuses on small farmers as opposed to just organic and fair trade in general.
Equal Exchange looks to communicate that emphasis through point-of-sale material, its Beyond the Peel newsletters and other avenues.
The organization will highlight three areas in which it believes small farmers bring something important to the table: building communities, transforming local economies, and making food personal.
