Hass Avocado Board targets tailgating to promote avocados
Hass Avocado Board targets tailgating to promote avocados
When tailgaters across the United States prepare for their next parking lot picnic, they may be thinking a lot more about adding a produce favorite to their usual burger, hot dog and salad fare. The Hass Avocado Board has pulled out its marketing playbook to create a game plan to encouraging consumers to include Hass avocados in tailgating events.
Jose Luis Obregon, the board's managing director, is enthusiastic about the promotion's potential. "The Hass avocado tailgating promotion is firing on all cylinders," he said in a release. "With an integrated marketing program featuring television advertising, popular Sports Illustrated magazine, on-line advertising, co-marketing, an enticing sweepstakes and an intense public- relations effort, we anticipate a substantial lift in consumer demand for Hass avocados at retail."
Television advertising is the quarterback of the board's tailgating program. The board is sponsoring programming on the Food Network from Sept. 10 through Oct. 7. The programming features the board's "field of guacamole" recipe, which is especially well suited to a tailgating party.
This year, Sports Illustrated will feature its third-annual multimedia celebration of the American fan's passion for the parking lot, "Tailgate Nation." Hass avocados will participate with on-line banner advertising on SportsIllustrated.com and will be included in the Aug. 27 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine in the special "Tailgate Nation" section.
On-line advertising will also play a key role in the board's tailgating promotion. An e-mail newsletter featuring Hass avocado tailgating recipes and tips will be sent to www.avocadocentral.com's nearly 25,000 subscribers during August and September. An additional 80,000 subscribers on www.allrecipes.com will receive Hass tailgating information in September, drawing even more attention to the campaign. Both web sites will invite consumer interest via an exciting sweepstakes on the specially created www.tailgatingfans.com web site that features a compelling grand prize: a trip for four to the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Nine first-prize winners will receive a Coleman Road Trip Grill LXE for use during future tailgating occasions.
In the past, similar HAB sweepstakes programs have garnered more than 5,000 sweepstakes entrants and 1,700 new requests to receive monthly Hass avocado recipes.
Posters on college campuses and banner advertising via on-line college newspapers will expand avocado category demographics, inviting students and alumni to visit www.tailgatingfans.com to enter the sweepstakes. There they will also find enticing Hass avocado recipes and easy tailgating tips. While tailgating parties are popular year round and accompany a variety of American sports, the timing of the board's tailgating program focuses on August through October, when football season is in full swing. "Autumn is a perfect time for retailers to include Hass avocados in football-themed displays. Supplies are projected to be steady, and with the cohesive media support of the HAB tailgating promotion, it's a great opportunity for the produce department to gain a greater share of sales supporting this popular pastime," Mr. Obregon added.
Public-relations efforts will kick things off this tailgating season with extensive media outreach to publicize the Hass Avocado Board's crowd- pleasing grilled sausage and Hass avocado sandwich with spicy chipotle honey mustard sauce recipe. Additionally, writer Jay DiEugenio, "The Tailgate Guy" and author of the I Got Your Tailgate Party Right Here! cookbook series, is helping spread the word to use Hass avocados at tailgating events by acting as a media spokesperson for the board. "Tailgaters are always looking for that next great recipe. Hass avocados are a tailgater's dream ingredient - they add a great flavor to dishes without a lot of prep work," Mr. DiEugenio said in the release. "For me, it's just second nature: If I'm tailgating, Hass avocados will be a part of my menu."
Jose Luis Obregon, the board's managing director, is enthusiastic about the promotion's potential. "The Hass avocado tailgating promotion is firing on all cylinders," he said in a release. "With an integrated marketing program featuring television advertising, popular Sports Illustrated magazine, on-line advertising, co-marketing, an enticing sweepstakes and an intense public- relations effort, we anticipate a substantial lift in consumer demand for Hass avocados at retail."
Television advertising is the quarterback of the board's tailgating program. The board is sponsoring programming on the Food Network from Sept. 10 through Oct. 7. The programming features the board's "field of guacamole" recipe, which is especially well suited to a tailgating party.
This year, Sports Illustrated will feature its third-annual multimedia celebration of the American fan's passion for the parking lot, "Tailgate Nation." Hass avocados will participate with on-line banner advertising on SportsIllustrated.com and will be included in the Aug. 27 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine in the special "Tailgate Nation" section.
On-line advertising will also play a key role in the board's tailgating promotion. An e-mail newsletter featuring Hass avocado tailgating recipes and tips will be sent to www.avocadocentral.com's nearly 25,000 subscribers during August and September. An additional 80,000 subscribers on www.allrecipes.com will receive Hass tailgating information in September, drawing even more attention to the campaign. Both web sites will invite consumer interest via an exciting sweepstakes on the specially created www.tailgatingfans.com web site that features a compelling grand prize: a trip for four to the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. Nine first-prize winners will receive a Coleman Road Trip Grill LXE for use during future tailgating occasions.
In the past, similar HAB sweepstakes programs have garnered more than 5,000 sweepstakes entrants and 1,700 new requests to receive monthly Hass avocado recipes.
Posters on college campuses and banner advertising via on-line college newspapers will expand avocado category demographics, inviting students and alumni to visit www.tailgatingfans.com to enter the sweepstakes. There they will also find enticing Hass avocado recipes and easy tailgating tips. While tailgating parties are popular year round and accompany a variety of American sports, the timing of the board's tailgating program focuses on August through October, when football season is in full swing. "Autumn is a perfect time for retailers to include Hass avocados in football-themed displays. Supplies are projected to be steady, and with the cohesive media support of the HAB tailgating promotion, it's a great opportunity for the produce department to gain a greater share of sales supporting this popular pastime," Mr. Obregon added.
Public-relations efforts will kick things off this tailgating season with extensive media outreach to publicize the Hass Avocado Board's crowd- pleasing grilled sausage and Hass avocado sandwich with spicy chipotle honey mustard sauce recipe. Additionally, writer Jay DiEugenio, "The Tailgate Guy" and author of the I Got Your Tailgate Party Right Here! cookbook series, is helping spread the word to use Hass avocados at tailgating events by acting as a media spokesperson for the board. "Tailgaters are always looking for that next great recipe. Hass avocados are a tailgater's dream ingredient - they add a great flavor to dishes without a lot of prep work," Mr. DiEugenio said in the release. "For me, it's just second nature: If I'm tailgating, Hass avocados will be a part of my menu."
