Avocados from Peru has reprised its robust, multitactical and multifaceted lifestyle campaign again this year — but with a host of new activations strategically designed to reach the most diverse audience of existing and new avocado consumers.
The season kicked off with an Avocados from Peru “Super Avocado Breakfast” honoring the U.S. Navy on May 24 during New York Fleet Week, and there’s much more on deck in the weeks ahead, Xavier Equihua, president and CEO of the Peruvian Avocado Commission, told The Packer.
Avocados from Peru is now tapping into top summer TV programming, as the local media sponsor of the 2024 Copa America or America’s Soccer Cup, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game as well as the Gordon Ramsay-hosted “MasterChef” and “MasterChef Junior,” Equihua said.
“The biggest soccer tournament in the Americas is about to land stateside,” Equihua said of the Copa America opening match in Atlanta, June 20. And the MLB All-Star game is the most-watched All-Star event in sports.
“We’re looking to create buzz for Avocados from Peru through these premium soccer, baseball and cooking programs with high audience engagement,” he said.
Revved up retail promotions
On the retailer front, the Peruvian Avocado Commission is partnering with The Kroger Co. banner Mariano’s in Chicago; Tesla; and Chicago’s professional soccer team, the Chicago Fire Football Club to promote healthy eating and living green with an Avo-Fire 2024 Tesla Model Y summer sweepstakes.
“This is the first time a produce brand and a supermarket have partnered with an MLS football team to create a huge activation that has as its objective to create awareness and sales for Avocados from Peru in one of the largest markets for avocados in the U.S.,” Equihua said.
The 11-week campaign is set to run from June 30 to Sept. 16 in The Windy City — the nation’s third-largest market for avocados.
To celebrate the launch of the sweepstakes, the Peruvian Avocado Commission, Mariano’s and the Chicago Fire will march together at the 53rd annual Chicago Pride Parade on June 30, Equihua says.
“With more than 1 million spectators each year, the Chicago Pride Parade is the second-biggest pride parade in the country after New York,” Equihua said. “Through these diverse activations, we’re bringing our Avocados from Peru messaging to all kinds of constituencies.”
Avocados from Peru is also launching the third edition of the Avo Tesla Summer Sweepstakes Giveaway with Arlington, Va.-based Lidl. Set to run June 30 to Sept. 2, the promotion invites Lidl customers to enter for a chance to “green-up” their ride.
And because Equihua says, “our best customer is an educated customer,” Avocados from Peru has also partnered with BJ’s Wholesale Club’s Wellsley Farms Avocados to create a co-branded educational mesh bag. The bag is set to launch at the end of June and run through the summer. The bags feature a QR code that links to a 100-page cookbook, as well as tips for avocado ripening and usage. To complete the launch of the bag, BJ’s and Avocados from Peru will offer club members a $1 instant rebate on the new bag of avocados.
“It’s so important to use this valuable real estate,” Equihua said of the new bags. “It’s an effective way to educate and reach consumers.”
While Equihua says Avocados from Peru implements proven, “classic tactics” including in-store display bins and custom POS materials, its approach to marketing is anything but cookie-cutter.
From e-coupons at Walmart to a robust social engagement program to TV and radio spots with retailer tags to video content and more, Avocados from Peru plans to keep its avocado message in front of consumers all year.
Spotlighting the 'summer avocado'
Avocados from Peru has scheduled additional events throughout the Peruvian avocado season from June through October to complement its in-store campaigns.
This year, Avocados from Peru will mark National Avocado Day in a big way, says Equihua. It plans to host the second edition of the Guacamole Challenge in San Diego on July 31 in partnership with Grocery Outlet and the San Diego Food Bank, as well as its first Guacamole Challenge in Chicago in partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Mariano’s and the Chicago Fire Football Club.
First introduced by Avocados from Peru in 2018, the Guac Challenge features local TV and radio personalities competing to make the best guacamole and win the coveted Avocados from Peru Silver Avocado Trophy, says Equihua.
Additionally, Avocados from Peru says it will donate a trailer of avocados to both food banks — the equivalent of over 100,000 avocados to each food bank — to give back to San Diego and Chicago and help the foodbanks fight hunger with nutrition.
“With these diverse tactics, Avocados from Peru continues to promote not just Peruvian avocados, but also the entire avocado category,” he said. P
