What's Inside a California Avocado

Client

California Avocados

Challenge

While imported avocados now make up the majority of U.S. sales, California avocado growers have a special story to tell. For the 2023-24 harvest season, this unique narrative came to life across the western U.S. in an all-new advertising campaign.

On April 1, the California Avocado Commission, in partnership with its new marketing communications agency Curious Plot, launched the “What’s Inside a California Avocado” campaign.

The marketing campaign worked alongside retail support activities including signage, display bins and customized retailer programs to increase demand, awareness and preference for the California avocado brand during its spring through summer season.

To maximize ad dollars, the campaign focused primarily on the western states where most California avocados are sold.

Streaming and airing through summer, commercials spotlighted the California difference by transporting viewers to the heart of California avocado groves to showcase grower families’ deep roots and the responsible growing practices that uniquely position California avocados as a premium product.

The California Avocado Commission(CAC) and Curious Plot’s decision to spotlight California growers came straight from research. According to a 2023 survey of existing and potential avocado shoppers, 63% of respondents in the California region agreed that California avocados are worth paying more for. They also have a strong interest in learning more about how California avocados are grown.

From Spotify to grocery store parking lots, “What’s Inside a California Avocado” ads came to life through a strategic and diverse media mix. The media approach targeted shopper audiences with a distinct, differentiating message to build a preference for California avocados and drive shoppers to stores that carry them.

Media placements included video, audio and custom digital partnerships. The campaign creative appeared in a variety of long- and short-form ads of 60, 30, 15 and 6 second spots that ran on a multitude of platforms including YouTube, social and connected television (CTV).

To connect shoppers with retail partners, ads appeared on electric vehicle charging stations located in select retailer parking lots. In addition, CAC piloted dynamic map ads through Yelp to target shoppers within select ZIP codes based on relevant interests and searches. These ads on Yelp directed potential shoppers to the nearest retailers stocking California avocados, helping further drive consumer purchases.

CAC also partnered with food-centric media outlets including The Kitchn to feature custom content in the western states featuring California avocados and the brand story.

iHeart Radio and Spotify also featured variations of audio ads gently easing in between listeners’ favorite songs, and CAC placed a series of custom, eye-catching and interactive browser takeover ads on sites with relevant content.

CAC also brought the campaign to life via social media integrations at the retail level. CAC collaborated with Gelson’s in San Diego and Raley’s in Sacramento to host a total of 30 social media influencers with a combined 3 million followers. CAC developed an invitation-only season launch event in April at Gelson’s and a California Avocado Month celebration event in June at Raley’s, bringing a California avocado grower to meet with the influencers and share information about their sustainability practices and the benefits of buying local as the influencers developed creative content for their social media channels.