Oct 29, 2020

USA Pears creates virtual flavor experience with Northwest growers

With the 2020 harvest from Washington’s Wenatchee and Yakima districts and Oregon’s Mid-Columbia and Medford districts completed, Pear Bureau Northwest (PBNW) is sharing the industry’s commitment to supplying retailers and their customers with flavorful pears through a handful of new tactics.

According to a news release, this includes the newly launched flavor experience videos, which showcase Northwest pear growers in their orchards. With many consumers interested in learning where their food comes from and also spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this new video series emphasizes the flavor and versatility of pears with the joy of biting into a deliciously ripe pear being shared by the people that grow them.

As part of PBNW’s continued efforts to create new and exciting pear content, the videos highlight the people and places that make the Northwest pear industry so unique with a primary focus on creating tantalizing pear moments. The videos will be used on USAPears.org, on social media and in digital ads, as well as shared with retailer digital marketing teams.

“Consumers love to learn about where their food comes from and see the people who grow it. We also know that biting into a perfectly ripe pear is a special moment that leaves a lasting impression. With most retailers not offering in-store sampling, we wanted to take consumers into the orchards and let them meet the people who grow the fruit while also making them hungry for pears,” said Kathy Stephenson, Marketing Communications Director of PBNW. “We are extremely proud to offer a collection of videos that beautifully capture the passion of Northwest pear growers while also educating consumers about the unique pear flavor, versatility and ripening.”

PBNW Creative Marketing Manager Neil Ferguson, who wrote and produced the videos in-house, is excited to bring the joy of eating fresh sweet and juicy pears directly to consumers. “Every time I talk with our growers, I am fascinated by how much they love what they do and how much they really care about growing the best quality fruit they can. I think it’s a testament to that quality when you have growers who happily eat what they grow. Who better to create consumer excitement and teach consumers about pears than pear growers?”

Video continues to grow as the dominant form of media in the digital landscape, and PBNW is investing resources into developing content that is fresh, engaging and forward-thinking. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has directed many of its promotional tactics to reaching consumers across the digital landscape. These videos align with targeted ads highlighting pear varieties and flavor traits, over 400 shoppable recipes, influencer campaigns, and digital coupons and ads with retailers.

The videos are available to watch here. If you would like a download of any video, please email Neil Ferguson: [email protected].

Pear Bureau Northwest is a non-profit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh pears grown in Washington and Oregon, home to 87% of the U.S .commercial fresh pear crop.

The Bureau represents over 800 grower families and partners with outlets throughout the world in an effort to increase overall success with the pear category.

The organization provides marketing and merchandising expertise that is customized specifically for each retail organization, using its pear consumer research findings as well as individual store analysis using an in-house data system that measures pear category performance nationwide and third-party research to show retailers how they perform versus their competition. Retailers who are interested in partnering with Pear Bureau Northwest should contact them at [email protected] or 1 (800) 547-4610, as well as visit the retail trade site Trade.USAPears.org or consumer site, USAPears.org