A snapshot of the 2023/24 citrus marketing campaign

Hort Innovation is responsible for investing the citrus marketing levy into a range of activities to drive awareness and consideration. Here is a quick look at what happened during 2023/24... 

The 2023/24 citrus marketing campaign focused on building awareness in the domestic market, boosting preference for Australian oranges in export markets, and testing new growth opportunities through online retail media campaigns.  

The campaign successfully increased visibility and purchases of Australian oranges across key markets, including Vietnam and the Philippines, while reinvigorating the domestic market. 

Insights that drove our thinking 

• Oranges have the second lowest household penetration (59.6 per cent) and longest average time between purchases (30 days) among popular fruits like bananas, berries, and apples. This suggests both a consideration and purchasing problem that the campaign aimed to address by reminding consumers of the benefits of oranges and encouraging more frequent purchases. 

• Oranges have not been actively promoted in the domestic market, they have lost relevance and credibility. The campaign focused on re-establishing oranges as a go-to fruit during colder months by highlighting their superior health properties, particularly their high Vitamin C content, which supports the immune system. 

• To drive export opportunities, increased consumer awareness about the health benefits and quality of Australian oranges is essential. The campaign can promote Aussie oranges using instore display competitions and sampling sessions. Understanding peak season and local festive periods will be crucial to maximise impact in international markets. 

What the campaign looked like in market 

The objective of the campaign was to increase consumption of Australian Oranges by showcasing their health benefits, year-round availability and affordability. The program aimed to build top of mind awareness via media relations and social media, and prompt purchase urging consumers to add oranges to their shopping carts via an online retail component. ​  

The international campaign used instore promotional material to drive purchases in Vietnam and the Philippines. Additionally, instore sampling was offered at various retailers to demonstrate the quality of Aussie oranges.  

In the Philippines, collaboration with nutritionist dietitian Jo Sebastian combined with social media posts and an interview with the Philippines Star Life were used to drive engagement.  

A retail eLearning platform was implemented to educate and engage retail staff and trade partners. The platform provided comprehensive training resources, including content libraries, interactive modules, and real-time updates on product information and promotions. 

What did we achieve? 

Domestic campaign:

• Media coverage. The campaign delivered over 22 million opportunities to see citrus marketing in the media. This included a compelling health-focused story package, which was displayed across major News Corp publications, and coverage in TV shows like Studio 10 and Weekend Today, as well as in leading magazines like New Idea and Woman’s Day. 

• Social media. The campaign’s social media strategy employed an “always-on” approach across Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram), achieving 4.86 million impressions. 

• In store activations. The online activities at Coles and Woolworths drove significant new-to-brand customers, with Coles attracting 37,000 new customers and generating $150K in sales, while Woolworths attracted 17,000 new customers, delivering $101K in monthly sales. 

International campaign:

• Vietnam – 770 in-store display days, sales increased by 63 per cent at Central Retail and 16.6 per cent at AEON during the promotional period. The sampling sessions had positive consumer feedback and increased sales. 

• Philippines – 156 sampling sessions across 52 stores, with significant increase in sales compared to the previous year. The media component reached over 550,000 consumers with TikTok and online advertorials being the most effective. 

• The eLearning platform enhanced the knowledge and skills of retail staff by ensuring accurate information delivery and improved customer service, ultimately driving sales growth and reinforcing the reputation of Australian oranges in key export markets.