FTC kick starts national TV campaign
FTC kick starts national TV campaign
The photos in the television commercials soon to be aired on major cable networks will put Florida tomatoes in an enticing new light, and enticement is the precise goal of Florida tomato growers in a new national advertising campaign.
Beginning Jan. 30, 15-second ads that feature Florida tomatoes will run on national cable television, including the Food Network, HGTV, Discovery Health, Discovery Home and Do It Yourself. The first segment, or "winter" campaign, will run through Feb. 26. The spring campaign begins March 13 and runs through April 9. Over all, the ads are expected to reach 36 million viewers, with impressive residual effects predicted to continue long after the project ends.
The idea for the campaign began about a year ago when a group of Florida tomato growers and officials from the Maitland-based Florida Tomato Committee were facing a difficult time. Samantha Winters, director of education and promotion for the committee, said that the active hurricane season of 2004, followed by a chain of events after the storms, resulted in an overabundance of tomatoes in the fields in the state, and the product wasn't moving through the system as quickly as they should have.
"Last spring, strategy sessions were organized with the goal of working on ways to specifically address the problems and to determine how best to prevent the situation from happening again in the future," said Ms. Winters. "One thing we knew was that shoppers were not aware of the fact that there were plenty of tomatoes available. We realized that we needed - and wanted - to develop a dialogue directly with shoppers in order to have a more intimate relationship with people on the consumer level. We also felt a need to brand Florida tomatoes."
The four commercials may be brief, but they are beautifully presented. A stunning, large red tomato is flashed on the screen, and using minimal verbiage, a subtle but strong message is flashed below the tomato. In an effort to help educate consumers on how to properly handle the product, the words "Do Not Refrigerate" are flashed on the screen at the end of the spot.
"The branding effort, 'Florida tomatoes, America's Favorite,' " will help consumers associate high-quality tomatoes with Florida," said Ms. Winters. "We have also developed a label that some growers and shippers have already signed on to use as their packaging materials. A research test we conducted in some retail stores showed significant dollar increases with this label, and it ties into the p-o-p program that was developed specifically to support the advertisements and to help retailers across the country benefit from the campaign."
The SenaReider Advertising Agency in Monterey, CA, is credited with creating the ads. The company has a substantial list of clients in the food business, including in the fresh produce industry. Ms. Winters said that the committee chose the firm because of its past experience working with it and the fact that it is known to be cutting-edge in its creativity.
"The nutritional focus is having a huge impact on American consumers today, so we wanted the commercials to have a health message," said Ms. Winters. "Research has shown that nutrition is a purchase motivator. Even the committee's studies, conducted through the Perishables Group, indicate that 75 percent of consumers are more prone to purchase tomatoes once they know the health benefits. We also wanted to convey the message of flavor, and finally of proper handling. That is a lot of information to get into 15- second spots, but the agency did a superb job of creating beautiful spots that cut through the clutter and fast-pace of typical commercials."
The tomato is the true hero in the spots. It appears huge, taking up a good portion of the television screen. Wording is flashed beneath it, accompanied by a bit of voiceover and a touch of whimsical music, all helping to polish the well-rounded ads. But once people in the trade have enjoyed the great look of the commercials, there is the strong potential business overflow to consider.
Ms. Winters said that retailers across the nation have the opportunity to benefit and tie into the campaign. The sell sheet that supports the campaign reminds retailers that the "36 million viewers are your customers."
"Retailers are encouraged to engage in aggressive displays and in ad promotions during the campaign," she said. "Displays are designed to drive retail traffic, so it is important that produce department shelves are amply stocked with Florida tomatoes. It is a great opportunity for all retailers to tie into the branding opportunities available. The committee welcomes inquiries from all retailers, and we will work with them in any way possible."
The entire Florida tomato industry is fully supportive of the initiative, and Ms. Winters said that as a marketing order, the committee's efforts benefit every grower, shipper, distributor, broker and others who deal in Florida tomatoes.
"We are not leaving anything to chance," she said. "This is an aggressive move, and we have set up everything to make this opportunity work successfully for everyone involved -- from growers all the way through the retailers to end users who will benefit from the high nutrition and great flavor. Regarding flavor, the ads also serve to educate people about proper handling. Over 77 percent of shoppers continue to store tomatoes in the refrigerator, but it kills the texture and flavor of tomatoes. It makes them mealy, and it accelerates decay. The stenciled messages in the ads are a strong reminder to never refrigerate the product. We want consumers to have the best taste experience possible -- and we are doing everything we can to ensure that will happen."
Ms. Winters said that the current campaign budget is not completely finalized, but the investment is the most significant made by the industry in recent decades. There is no word currently about a continuation or offshoot of the campaign, but if it is as successful as the ads suggest it may be, it won't be surprising to see a lot more tomatoes flashed across TV screens in the future.
Beginning Jan. 30, 15-second ads that feature Florida tomatoes will run on national cable television, including the Food Network, HGTV, Discovery Health, Discovery Home and Do It Yourself. The first segment, or "winter" campaign, will run through Feb. 26. The spring campaign begins March 13 and runs through April 9. Over all, the ads are expected to reach 36 million viewers, with impressive residual effects predicted to continue long after the project ends.
The idea for the campaign began about a year ago when a group of Florida tomato growers and officials from the Maitland-based Florida Tomato Committee were facing a difficult time. Samantha Winters, director of education and promotion for the committee, said that the active hurricane season of 2004, followed by a chain of events after the storms, resulted in an overabundance of tomatoes in the fields in the state, and the product wasn't moving through the system as quickly as they should have.
"Last spring, strategy sessions were organized with the goal of working on ways to specifically address the problems and to determine how best to prevent the situation from happening again in the future," said Ms. Winters. "One thing we knew was that shoppers were not aware of the fact that there were plenty of tomatoes available. We realized that we needed - and wanted - to develop a dialogue directly with shoppers in order to have a more intimate relationship with people on the consumer level. We also felt a need to brand Florida tomatoes."
The four commercials may be brief, but they are beautifully presented. A stunning, large red tomato is flashed on the screen, and using minimal verbiage, a subtle but strong message is flashed below the tomato. In an effort to help educate consumers on how to properly handle the product, the words "Do Not Refrigerate" are flashed on the screen at the end of the spot.
"The branding effort, 'Florida tomatoes, America's Favorite,' " will help consumers associate high-quality tomatoes with Florida," said Ms. Winters. "We have also developed a label that some growers and shippers have already signed on to use as their packaging materials. A research test we conducted in some retail stores showed significant dollar increases with this label, and it ties into the p-o-p program that was developed specifically to support the advertisements and to help retailers across the country benefit from the campaign."
The SenaReider Advertising Agency in Monterey, CA, is credited with creating the ads. The company has a substantial list of clients in the food business, including in the fresh produce industry. Ms. Winters said that the committee chose the firm because of its past experience working with it and the fact that it is known to be cutting-edge in its creativity.
"The nutritional focus is having a huge impact on American consumers today, so we wanted the commercials to have a health message," said Ms. Winters. "Research has shown that nutrition is a purchase motivator. Even the committee's studies, conducted through the Perishables Group, indicate that 75 percent of consumers are more prone to purchase tomatoes once they know the health benefits. We also wanted to convey the message of flavor, and finally of proper handling. That is a lot of information to get into 15- second spots, but the agency did a superb job of creating beautiful spots that cut through the clutter and fast-pace of typical commercials."
The tomato is the true hero in the spots. It appears huge, taking up a good portion of the television screen. Wording is flashed beneath it, accompanied by a bit of voiceover and a touch of whimsical music, all helping to polish the well-rounded ads. But once people in the trade have enjoyed the great look of the commercials, there is the strong potential business overflow to consider.
Ms. Winters said that retailers across the nation have the opportunity to benefit and tie into the campaign. The sell sheet that supports the campaign reminds retailers that the "36 million viewers are your customers."
"Retailers are encouraged to engage in aggressive displays and in ad promotions during the campaign," she said. "Displays are designed to drive retail traffic, so it is important that produce department shelves are amply stocked with Florida tomatoes. It is a great opportunity for all retailers to tie into the branding opportunities available. The committee welcomes inquiries from all retailers, and we will work with them in any way possible."
The entire Florida tomato industry is fully supportive of the initiative, and Ms. Winters said that as a marketing order, the committee's efforts benefit every grower, shipper, distributor, broker and others who deal in Florida tomatoes.
"We are not leaving anything to chance," she said. "This is an aggressive move, and we have set up everything to make this opportunity work successfully for everyone involved -- from growers all the way through the retailers to end users who will benefit from the high nutrition and great flavor. Regarding flavor, the ads also serve to educate people about proper handling. Over 77 percent of shoppers continue to store tomatoes in the refrigerator, but it kills the texture and flavor of tomatoes. It makes them mealy, and it accelerates decay. The stenciled messages in the ads are a strong reminder to never refrigerate the product. We want consumers to have the best taste experience possible -- and we are doing everything we can to ensure that will happen."
Ms. Winters said that the current campaign budget is not completely finalized, but the investment is the most significant made by the industry in recent decades. There is no word currently about a continuation or offshoot of the campaign, but if it is as successful as the ads suggest it may be, it won't be surprising to see a lot more tomatoes flashed across TV screens in the future.
