A snapshot of the 2023/24 table grape marketing campaign

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

The table grape marketing plan worked to build a globally competitive and trusted Australian table grape industry, driving seasonal awareness and education. 

Insights that drove our thinking 

• Purchase intent. Only 19 per cent of consumers purchase grapes unprompted, this jumps significantly to 36 per cent when they are suggested as an option. Driving top-of-mind awareness during peak season is key.
  
  
• Consumption occasion. Snacking remains the key consumption occasion for table grapes, with 82 per cent of consumers eating them fresh on their own, however they are widely considered ‘easy to eat’ (76 per cent), ‘healthy’ (66 per cent), and ‘delicious’ (57 per cent).
  
  
• Barriers to purchase. Price is the top barrier for increasing table grape purchases (41 per cent), followed by already having enough at home (13 per cent) and not having a need (12 per cent).
  
  
• Global preferences. Consumers in export markets place a high emphasis on product safety, quality and taste. This provided an opportunity to engage consumers and trial premium packaging options for a better price-packing fit. 
  
  
• Export challenges. Global inflationary pressures and varying consumer confidence impact market performance. Growth in production volumes for new varieties means that more table grapes can be featured on retailer shelves. 

What the campaign looked like in market 

The ‘Juicy. Poppable. Bitable.’ messaging for the domestic campaign in WA highlighted the taste and convenience of table grapes, with a reminder that table grapes are now in season. 

The WA campaign included: 

• Social media (Facebook and Instagram): Australian table grapes were showcased via social media with a focus on driving cost-efficient reach and user engagement. A mixture of formats was used, including static and six-second reels.
• Radio (metro and regional placements): radio ads were designed to reach a mass audience. The WA campaign used a specific call to action ‘Grab a bunch of joy today. Western Australian Grapes now in season’. The campaign ran for 15 weeks across both metro and regional Southern Cross Austereo Networks. 

The international table grape campaign included:  

• Four consumer-facing launches into key markets, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and The Philippines. These launches included a variety of in-store and media launches.
  
  
• Trade-focused events took place in China (Shanghai and Guangzhou).
  
  
• Following the seasonal launches, retail promotion campaigns commenced in six markets, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, The Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. These included refreshed branding and point-of-sale displays, complemented by e-commerce and PR activities in select countries.  
  
  
• Throughout the season, growers were actively engaged through newsletters, briefings, and event participation, leading to unprecedented involvement in the international marketing program despite production challenges. 

What did we achieve?  

Radio 

• The metro radio campaign running in Perth over-delivered on its planned goals by 167 per cent, reaching 655,463 main grocery buyers. The campaign was heard by the target audience an average of five times. The ads were placed in 281 bonus spots on MIX94.5fm and its digital stations.
  
  
• The regional radio campaign also exceeded expectations, over-delivering by 146 per cent, reaching 141,488 main grocery buyers across Bunbury, Busselton, and Mandurah. The campaign was heard by the target audience an average of 5.5 times. The ads were placed in 86 bonus spots on HiT 95.7, Coast 97.3, and Wave 91.7. 

Social media 

• The social media campaign reached over 946,000 people, delivering over 2.6 million impressions. The static ads performed better in terms of reach, exceeding 1.1 million, while the video ads excelled in engagement, delivering over 129,000 total engagements at a 17.41 per cent engagement rate. 

Export 

• The export marketing campaign successfully increased brand awareness and sales across key markets through retail promotions, media engagements, and consumer-focused activities. 
  
  
• Promotions were held at over 450 retail stores, in seven markets over four months, from trade demand generation through to awareness and consumer conversion.  
  
  
• The campaign supported table grapes exports over the worst production season in a decade, generating renewed interest and confidence for seasons to come.