Marketing snapshot - Hortlink 2016, winter

This Hort Innovation Cherry Fund marketing snapshot has been taken from Hort Innovation’s Hortlink 2016, winter edition.

The marketing activity for the upcoming cherry season is currently in development.

Previous marketing for the industry has had a successful focus on growing interest and demand in export markets. In 2015/16 marketing also involved 465 point-of-sale kits – including posters, bunting and cherry bags – being delivered across Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

There were also state-based promotions including competitions, in-store sampling, media, PR and farm-gate activities.

While not yet finalised, this year’s campaign is expected to see Australian cherries being promoted via Australia Fresh attendance at key overseas trade shows – an important opportunity to promote cherries and to get market information back to the industry. There is also expected to be exporter co-promotions, as part of the Now In Season program, that will involve sampling and point-of-sale materials to encourage trial and purchase of Australian cherries in international retail stores.

Domestic marketing is also set to have a resurgence this year, with a need to move product especially prior to and after Christmas. To kick off the cherry season, activity will involve the supply of cherry bags as part of point-of-sale kits for retailers, in order to engage with more customers and so drive awareness and purchasing. There will also be state-based marketing activity at the independent-retailer level (sampling, point-of-sale materials etc), offering high value for money opportunities to boost consumer awareness and sales.