July Update - Watermelon.org

 J U L Y 2 0 1 3 the Watermelon Update If a crisis situation arises, call 877-­‐599-­‐9595 immediately National Watermelon Month Promotions Twitter Party a Success! July kicks off National Watermelon Month during which NWPB hosts two promotions concurrently: the retail-­‐focused National Display Contest and the consumer-­‐oriented Watermelon Carving Contest. Each year these promotions’ participation rates multiply as the enthusiasm for watermelon and summertime continues to rise! For program details, entry rules and winners, please visit watermelon.org. On July 2nd, NWPB hosted a twitter party w ith special guest Elizabeth Somer, Registered Dietician. The Twitter Party w as hugely successful, spiking engagement with @All4Watermelon and reaching watermelon lovers on Twitter across the nation. The promoted tweet made nearly 11,000 impressions and more than 130 users engaged directly w ith the ad (clicked, followed). The #iluvwatermelon hashtag was used by more than 50 engaged Twitter users, and by uncountable more who used the nationally trending hashtag in their own tweets and conversations. More than 600 tweets went out using the hashtag, catapulted it into a national trend and extending potential reach to well over 120,000 “Tweeters.” Points of Interest Watermelon Promotions in Canada Watermelon queens tour Canadian retailers Let your retailers know about AHA! It can help boost sales! Summertime watermelon coverage soars! Great exposure everywhere! WATERMELON UPDATE JULY 2013 Successful Queen Promotions in Canada NWPB has done it again in with watermelon queens in tow! At the Canadian Produce Marketing Association convention, watermelon queens were in high demand for in-­‐store promotions. With the combined efforts of produce managers, queen coordinators and our watermelon retail reps, we were able to make some Canadian retailers happy in these summer months. It first kicked off with Longos annual watermelon eating contest held at all Longos stores on June 29th. Amber Nolin, Brandi Harrison, and Carol Anne Mitchell (The National, Florida and Georgia watermelon queens respectively) visited a total of nine stores where eating contests were held throughout the entire day. Winners received medal and a w atermelon to take home. Amber Nolin (National) returned to Toronto to promote watermelons at four Loblaw food stores on July 12th & 13th while Carol Anne Mitchell (Georgia) did in-­‐store promotions at four Colemans stores in the Newfoundland area simultaneously. The Canadian w atermelon queen tour finished with Amber doing a second round of in-­‐store promotions at three additional Colemans stores in Newfoundland. The appearance of the watermelon queens at these retailers garnered much media coverage and success for possible future opportunities in the Canadian market to further enhance our market access programs. NWPB is proud to be a part of the Marine Corp Marathon happening on Oct 27th & 28th in Washington, D.C. Stay tuned for more details in future updates. 2 WATERMELON UPDATE JULY 2013 Reminder: Let Your Retailers Know Watermelon is AHA Certified! The American Heart Association (AHA) heart-­‐check mark helps consumers take a simple step towards healthy eating. Shoppers want clear, simple purchase guidance from a trusted source. The AHA heart-­‐check mark increases product sales because seeing the mark on a package assures shoppers they are making a smart choice. Shoppers associate both “heart health” and “overall health” with the heart-­‐check mark. The heart-­‐check mark drives purchase decisions. According to a recent study of shoppers: 85% find the mark “helpful” or “very helpful” 75% say the presence of the heart-­‐check mark improves likelihood to buy 60% are positively influenced to purchase between a choice of similar products when the heart-­‐check is shown. The bottom line is that primary shoppers find the heart-­‐check mark to be credible and relevant. And your customers, your retailers, can use the heart-­‐ check mark on ads, in-­‐store materials, and more for any watermelon promotion. Approval of heart-­‐ check mark ads is quick and easy so let your retailers know to contact us today! Summertime Watermelon Coverage Soars The traditional and digital mix of watermelon in the media is in high gear. Everyday there are more and more watermelon recipes, health messages, and photos being shared in newspapers, magazines, news blogs and in social media. The w atermelon press kit focusing on a celebration theme encompasses Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and an All-­‐American Summer party was very well received and our channels are growing by the day. Watermelon how-­‐to videos can be seen embedded on news websites such as The Huffington Post and AOL.com. And we are only mid-­‐season! Rave Reviews at the School Nutrition Association Annual Conference “I wish more companies had things like this” – about the NWPB Teacher Tool Kit (Audrey Stewart, Harney County Schools) “I love your newsletters!” – about the What About Watermelon bi-­‐monthly newsletter (everyone!) “I always do a food day and watermelon is always the easiest for me to plan. You have a great website.” – about www.watermelon.org (Sharon Schaeffer, West Side Community Schools) 3 THE WATERMELON UPDATE National Watermelon Promotion Board JUNE 2013 3361 Rouse Road, Suite 150 Orlando, FL 32817 Want to receive the update via email? Email us at [email protected]