food

Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit Focuses On Working Mothers

A campaign targeting working mothers is introducing Americans to Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, a yellow version of the fruit that’s sweeter and more nutritious than the fuzzy green variety U.S. shoppers already know.

Created by advertising agency LRXD, it is the New Zealand brand’s first major U.S. advertising effort and it will be national in scope. LRXD won the Zespri account after a pitch against several undisclosed agencies in February 2018. 

The campaign, “A Real Snack For Real Life,” includes outdoor, social, display, native, digital radio, online video, a microsite and promotions to target an audience of women between the ages of 25 and 49 who tend to be working mothers.

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The microsite offers informational benefits of SunGold Kiwifruit, store info, coupons and details on a sweepstakes to enter “real life” prizes, such as staycations, nanny services and grocery delivery. The work will run through mid-October.

Simple, six-second ads use motion graphics to show how snacking occasions are golden moments in a mom’s day: In one called “Junior,” we hear her baby son’s infectious laugh while she eats. In “Nap Time,” she sighs and digs her spoon into the kiwi during her much-needed break.

A trio of short live-action spots uses humor to highlight family snack time. In “Hugs,” a mom scoops bites of SunGold Kiwifruit while walking around the house, an activity that is set to a soundtrack of giggles. The camera then pulls back to reveal two small kids are hugging her legs and going for a ride as she roams. In “Cheers,” mom touts the benefits of SunGold Kiwifruit while cutting one, handing half off to a tiny hand, and grabbing her wine glass and toasting “Cheers to easy.” In “Spoon,” a baby in a highchair looks bewildered as mom cuts a SunGold Kiwifruit—and then uses his spoon to eat it herself. 

Zespri is a $2 billion brand that markets several varieties of kiwifruit. The fruit is the top seller in many parts of the world, but it ranks about 20th in the U.S., so the company sees potential for growth.

Sarah Deaton, Zespri marketing manager, North America, declined to reveal the campaign’s budget “but we can say we are increasing our spending year over year to match the volume growth we are planning to bring into the market.”

Marketing a perishable product comes with its challenges, as Mother Nature plays a big part in the product cycle and there are often fewer options to communicate to shoppers in store, Deaton says.

“You have to be flexible with your planning and agile to move with varying market conditions, and we definitely have to be creative in how we reach consumers,” Deaton tells Marketing Daily. “But people are looking for healthy choices with a delicious taste. Zespri Kiwifruit is naturally nutritious and tastes delicious, so it really meets that sweet spot consumers are looking for.”

People do love trying new things but the key is to make sure the product is of high quality so they come back, she says.

In-store positioning and visibility also play a key role with a new product, so when consumers do try it and like it, they can find it again, Deaton says.

Moms are looking for small, realistic ways to help their kids grow up strong and confident—and help them feel they’re doing a good job, said Jamie Reedy, creative director at LRXD.

“It’s a weird time in the food world where every brand seems to be shouting about its benefits as if they will make all your problems go away,” Reedy says. “Moms are in a tough spot. They want to do right by their families, and all the ‘perfect lives’ they see in social media stress them out."

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