In February 2007, with the objective "to get people talking" about the connection between fresh fruit and glowing, good health, Selah, WA-based Rainier Fruit Co. Marketing Director Suzanne Wolter challenged a development team and creative consultant David Barbrack of New Path Marketing Inc. to "try something outside our comfort zone" in a trade advertising campaign.

The result was the ad series launched during PMA Fresh Summit in October, and the response has been "mixed," according to Ms. Wolter.

And that is a good thing, she added.

People are definitely talking about the "Go ahead. Stare." ad that ran in The Produce News and other publications during the convention in Houston. In the ad, a "real women" model, who is neither 19 years old nor pencil-thin, sits behind a strategically placed row of super-imposed apples.

"We didn't really have very many comments at the booth," Ms. Wolter said of Rainier's exhibit at PMA, which prominently featured a banner of the woman's photograph. Feedback on the ad ranged from people who liked it and said 'wow,' to people who said, 'I don't get it,' to people who said, 'I don't care for it.' It was what we expected."

Mr. Barbrack, the only man on the five-person creative team, said, "It was really interesting to hear the feedback, and it's good to create something that causes such a reaction. To have something that has this kind of response is very positive."

He continued, "Actually, when we began this collaborative effort in February, we initially looked at beauty shots of fruit. But Suzanne challenged us to do something new and different."

Targeting produce managers and buyers in a mostly-male industry, the team quickly realized that if it tried a campaign which "appeals to everybody, you appeal to nobody," Mr. Barbrack said.

Leaving the safety net of fruit beauty shots, the team began to develop the current ad series.

Back in Selah, the management team was given a first glimpse at a selection of concepts from which to choose, and, without knowing Ms. Wolter's first pick, the group reached a consensus: healthy, fit woman with beautiful fruit. "There's a way to design an ad that's tasteful and elegant," Ms. Wolter said. "We believe this is it."

The ad went forward, although Mr. Barbrack said, "Some folks are uncomfortable, but most see the beauty and that we're trying to reflect a product that's healthy. We purposely chose models outside that 19-25 age group, and more often than not, people are responding with, 'Wow, we didn't expect this from Rainier.'"

He went on to say, "There has not been a floodgate opening of people contacting us to say they're uncomfortable, and I feel it's a very positive campaign. In fact, we've received a total of three e-mails, a couple of phone calls and a few comments at PMA."

Ms. Wolter said, "We also want to show that we, as a company, are changing and that we're open to new ideas. We've been known for quality and service, and we want to convey openness as well.'"

Equating both fruit and the human body to art, the campaign is also meant to drive home the adage that you are what you eat.

"Health shows in the woman," Ms. Wolter said. "We really hope this gets people thinking about it. But we want to make very clear this is a trade campaign and that we're not taking [the ad series] to the consumer."

Expecting the theme of healthy-eating-equals-health-and-beauty to continue "at least a couple of years," Ms. Wolter said, "both David and I have ideas on how we want to move forward, and it won't always be the same ad. Also, not all the ads will have this 'wow' factor."

"The ads will be more conservative," Mr. Barbrack agreed, noting that the campaign will focus on the health and beauty of fruit. The designs incorporate pears and cherries as well as apples.

"We'll be deciding in the next few weeks how to go forward," Ms. Wolter said.