Jul 12, 2018

Promotional strategy delivers ‘exceptional’ results for USHBC

The blueberry industry’s first year-long consumer advertising campaign is off to a “Positively Bluetiful” start for the Folsom, California-based U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), with results significantly exceeding expectations in the first six months.

According to a news release, at the end of 2017, with supply on the rise, USHBC made a strategic decision to develop and launch a new year-long campaign focused on increasing blueberry consumption year-round. USHBC also decided to center campaign efforts around paid advertising for the first time, with secondary support from media relations, social media and social influencer promotions. At the same time, the organization brought on its first-ever marketing manager, Victoria De Bruin, to help guide and implement the consumer campaign, as well as programs geared toward school and restaurant foodservice and health professionals.

USHBC and agency partner Padilla created the campaign’s central concept, ‘Positively Bluetiful,’ to reinforce and celebrate the role of blueberries in bringing smiles, joy and delight into consumers’ everyday lives. Audiences are seeing campaign content in a variety of places they visit for news and entertainment, recipe inspiration and healthy lifestyle motivation.

“’Positively Bluetiful’ connects our target audiences with blueberry messaging that our research has shown to be most compelling and motivating,” said DeBruin. “We’re keeping blueberries front and center through online video and audio ads, banner ads and social media videos that showcase blueberries’ core attributes with the goal of solidifying blueberries’ standing as a shopping list staple.”

While campaign goals were set based on historical data and industry standards, results generated through June 30 have tracked significantly higher than projected.

• Total Completed Video Views: 2.1 million against 2018 goal of 1.9 million
• Total Clicks: 99,000+ against 2018 goal of 26,000
• Total Social Engagements: 1.3 million against 2018 goal of 2 million

To capitalize on the mid-year momentum, USHBC and Padilla recently completed two photoshoots – one in a residential kitchen and one on a farm – for a creative refresh coinciding with peak blueberry season in the U.S. The new ads will draw deeper connections between blueberries and consumers, especially men and women who fall within USHBC’s “moderate blueberry user” category – those who consume 7.6 cups of fresh blueberries per year on average and thus, have the greatest potential to increase consumption.

USHBC aims to increase consumption by 39% for moderate users by 2021, while at the same time engaging heavy users – those who consume 26.5 cups per year – to influence moderate users’ blueberry purchases, thus increasing heavy users’ consumption by 15 percent. The two audiences represent half of the U.S. population (25 percent each) and show the most growth potential of all user segments identified by the Council.

“Blueberries are part of so many moments for so many people, every single day, and we wanted to celebrate those moments in our new ads. They put blueberries in the context of everyday life, from special occasions like weekend getaways to the simple pleasures of the usual routine. Blueberries can make any day as irresistibly delicious and fun as they are,” said De Bruin.

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is an agriculture promotion group, representing blueberry growers and packers in North and South America who market their blueberries in the United States, and works to promote the growth and well-being of the entire blueberry industry. The blueberry industry is committed to providing blueberries that are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in clean, safe environments. Learn more at littlebluedynamos.com