Aug 30, 2024

Michigan Apples score big with MSU athletic partnership

Michigan’s apple industry is betting that a partnership with Michigan State University athletics will be a winning combination on and fff the field.

Michigan Apples’ longstanding partnership with Michigan State Athletics continues as the football season kicked-off Aug. 30.

MSU Athletics showcases the Michigan Apples brand through a multitude of on- and off-campus marketing tactics that immerse the Michigan Apples brand in game day events as well as online, achieving a broad reach online and impactful face-to-face interactions as part of the on-the-ground community engagement activities, according to a news release.

The Michigan Apple Committee sponsorship includes weekly Michigan Apple recipe social media posts leveraging the Spartan Athletics robust online following.

In addition, the partnership involves participation in Fanfest Tailgates; advertising within Breslin Center for Women’s Basketball and Volleyball; website advertising and other special events bring the Michigan Apples brand visibility with Spartan fans everywhere.

“Our partnership with the Michigan Apple Committee has been a great way to market healthy eating habits to the Spartan fanbase. The weekly recipes have been a great addition to our football game day experience.  We couldn’t be happier with how the partnership has evolved and look forward to many more years of working together to promote Michigan apples,” Nick Grueser, senior director of business development for Playfly Sports Properties at MSU, said in the release.

The program’s stellar performance in 2023 and prior years led MAC to continue the partnership for the 2024 football/harvest season. In 2023, MAC reached the Spartan Athletics impressive social media following with 698,000 followers on Facebook and nearly 93,000 followers on X/Twitter.

Last fall’s social media campaign generated a total of 321,980 impressions, marking a significant 75% increase from the previous year. Additionally, engagement soared by 39%, totaling 3,960, with 1,259 clicks indicating high levels of audience interaction and interest, according to the release.

“The Michigan Apple Industry has strong connections with MSU, including apple production research and support,” Diane Smith, Michigan Apple Committee’s executive director, said in the release. “The partnership with Spartan Athletics is an extension of that, while celebrating pride in our state and showing a commitment to community engagement.”

The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to marketing, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption in Michigan and around the world.