Marketing snapshot - Hortlink 2017, edition 3

This Hort Innovation Citrus Fund marketing snapshot has been taken from Hort Innovation’s Hortlink 2017, edition 3.

Hort Innovation invests the citrus marketing levy into a range of activities to drive awareness and consumption, under the Hort Innovation Citrus Fund.

In this most recent update, the marketing levy has been hard at work targeting citrus consumers and buyers in Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, with in-market store promotions and sampling as well as attendance at key international events.

Spotlight on Japan

As reported in the last edition of Hortlink, the activity program for Japan started in the last week of May, in partnership with Austrade and Citrus Australia. The major aim has been to raise awareness of Australian citrus by engaging Japanese trade customers.

Initial activities included attendance at trade seminars in Toyko (May 23) and Osaka (May 25), followed by Now! In Season retail sampling promotions in stores. This activity has been supported by social media through a dedicated Now! In Season Japan page, as well as catalogue and promotion support.

Another aim of the Japanese activity is to showcase premium Australian citrus to hotels, restaurants, wholesalers and media. This will involve food service promotions at the Prince Hotels ‘Australia Fair’ in Tokyo and Osaka during September and October.

Further across Asia

The Now! In Season promotions have also started to get underway across Asia and the Middle East. Activities are commencing in the Philippines in September, followed by activities across Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and China. A list of activities to engage international customers can be found below, with results to be reported on in the next edition of Hortlink.

• The Philippines: in-market mission including an event with importers/retailers and market tour (mandarin); in-store sampling and collateral, product training for promoters and retail staff, food service activation, plus social and traditional media (Navel)
  
  
• Vietnam: in-store sampling and collateral
  
  
• Malaysia: in-store collateral, launch event for media and consumers, ongoing social media
  
  
• China: in-store sampling and collateral, trade campaign, media
  
  
• Thailand: in-store sampling and collateral, launch event with visit, training of retailers and category managers (mandarin); in-store sampling and collateral, collaboration with mandarins for launch event, training of retailers and category managers (Navel)
  
  
• UAE: in-store sampling and collateral.