Creative Ad Campaign & Themed Dimensional “Mailer” Combine
to Announce News of Smart, Fresh Way to Sweeten Bottom Line
November 17, 2005, Springhouse PA – Come winter,
snow may fall and chilly winds blow but winter-weary shoppers are in
for a pleasant surprise in the produce department thanks to SmartFreshSM quality melons – ripe with the exceptional sweetness, flavor,
firmness and appearance of summer melons. SmartFreshSM,
the breakthrough technology that temporarily slows ripening to maintain
quality, has worked wonders for consumer produce worldwide and now proves
that cantaloupes are no exception.
AgroFresh Inc., the maker of SmartFreshSM,
is announcing its entry into the 2005 imported melon season with an
innovative winter-themed ad campaign and promotional mailing that targets
retailers and invites them to join the SmartFreshSM melon program to take advantage of the opportunity to offer customers
summer-ripe, ready-to-eat quality cantaloupes year-round.
Headlined "SmartFreshSM Cantaloupes Make Winter a Sweeter Season," the full- page ads feature
a jolly snowman sporting a ski hat and a broad smile in the form of
a slice of ripe cantaloupe. To extend awareness and "sweeten"
the offer, AgroFresh is also sending a clever and engaging mailer to
select retailers. The creatively labeled circular wooden hat box opens
to reveal a fleece ski cap emblazoned with the SmartFreshSM logo –
the same ski cap worn by the snowman in the ad – along with promotional
materials that reinforce important product features and benefits.
According to Raphael Crawford, AgroFresh Vice President
for the Americas, the summer-sweet cantaloupes highlighted in the campaign
are yet another example of how the innovative SmartFreshSM technology, first introduced to extend the just-picked crunch, juiciness
and tastiness of apples, is also highly effective with any number of
other produce categories.
“SmartFreshSM safely sustains the freshness, flavor and appearance of fruits and vegetables
so consumers can enjoy better-tasting, higher-quality produce all year
long," said Crawford. "In turn, this helps them meet the recommended
more than five servings of colorful fruits and vegetables daily."
Citing the firm texture, mouthwatering sweetness, attractive appearance
and tempting flavor profile of SmartFreshSM quality cantaloupes, Crawford continued: "Unlike traditional imported
melons that must be picked before they're fully developed because of
shipping time, SmartFreshSM for Cantaloupes captures and holds quality so fruit can be harvested
when it is at optimum maturity and then maintained at that higher quality
throughout shipment all the way through to the consumer."
According to independent research conducted during the
past winter season, supermarket cantaloupes fail to meet the expectations
of a large majority of consumers during most seasons with the exception
of summer. "Because SmartFreshSM quality melons look better than regular winter cantaloupes, with fewer
sunken and discolored areas, consumers’ overall acceptance and
purchase interest were significantly higher for SmartFreshSM quality melons," said Crawford. SmartFreshSM quality cantaloupes also scored significantly higher in inside appearance,
color, condition, firmness, and freshness. "Consumers clearly believed
the flavor of the winter SmartFreshSM quality cantaloupes they sampled was closer to what they’d expect
during the summer, when ready-to-eat quality contributes to far more
melon purchases than in any other season." Crawford reported.
Consumers surveyed also confirmed that the great looks
of SmartFreshSM quality cantaloupes would prompt them to buy more melons, and more produce
in general, and to feel that the store provided quality products.
Backed by the innovative and attention-getting campaign,
AgroFresh is giving retailers a high-appeal product to change the way
consumers think about winter melons and counteract traditionally pale,
wan or dwindling cold weather melon sales. According to Crawford, the
SmartFreshSM advantage is three-fold, offering: 1) the ability to buy with confidence
all year long, 2) more repeat purchases and greater customer loyalty,
and 3) ready-to-eat produce quality that meets consumers’ expectations,
results in less shrink and increased sales.
AgroFresh, a division of Rohm and Haas and maker of SmartFreshSM,
is a trusted and rapidly expanding company dedicated to providing consumers
around the world with the freshest and best tasting fruits and vegetables
available. AgroFresh partners with its valued customers to help improve
the overall quality of fresh produce, increase operational flexibility,
reduce costs and increase pack-out yields, providing new opportunities
for dynamic growth.
