The United Fresh conference created for produce marketers, BrandStorm™, celebrated its fifth edition this past February in the windy city of San Francisco. More than 200 attendees were part of this three-day event. They engaged with marketing professionals and dug deeper into produce’s most pressing topics.
A recurrent theme in this year’s BrandStorm™ was the consumer demand for transparency. Justin Levy, Global Social Media Strategist mentioned that transparency is a tool produce companies should implement to gain consumers’ trust and loyalty. Food strategist, Janet Helm, showed what shoppers will pay for when they see companies that will take a risk to support their beliefs.
Consumers want to know where their produce comes from, how it’s grown and the values of the people behind a product. The Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) marketing team attended the conference and gained industry insights on how to add value to your brand. We are looking forward to working with more fresh produce companies to tell their stories and increase transparency by promoting the social impact of the EFI Program.
1. Add value by showing your values
Social and environmental issues have become one of the main differentiators among millennial consumers. Janet Helm, food and nutrition strategist, showed us data that support the purchasing power of these values:
- 84% of people expect brands to make the world a better place.
- 55% of people will pay extra for products from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact.
- 56% of millennials believe CEOs have greater responsibility to speak out on debated issues.
2. Treat commodities as brands
Speakers like Valda Coryat from the National Mango Board invited us to have a CPG mentality when promoting fresh produce and to build the essence of our brands by summing all of its attributes.
3. The best ideas aren’t found, they are built
Tamsen Webster illustrated the room with advertising findings that have changed the way we look at products. She told us that if we want to create the conditions for change, we need to create the story of the idea of change. Recreate those irresistible conditions that will spark an emotional connection among shoppers.
4. Don’t think of a commercial as an ad, think of it as part of a campaign
Alvaro Luque from Avocados from Mexico recalled his major success during the big game. He mentioned that each 30-second commercial they paid for since 2015 has been part of an advertising strategy to grow the category.
5. Use packaging to communicate your brand promise
Jennifer Tillman talked about telling a unique story through packaging. She recommends rebranding as necessary, but not all elements at the same time, especially if your brand is well known and loved.
Thanks to United Fresh for putting together the great slate of speakers that provided these key takeaways and many more ideas to shape the industry’s marketing efforts.
Photo Credit: A.E. Landes Photography / United Fresh Produce Association
Written by: Rebecca Castrejon, Digital & Communications Associate for Equitable Food Initiative
