Georgia Watermelon Association Dedicates $90,000 For 2015 Marketing Program

The Georgia Watermelon Association (GWA) recently announced plans to dedicate more than $90,000 to a strategic marketing program during the 2015 watermelon season. The program will have a fourfold approach using billboards, television programming, in-store marketing, and social media promotions and anticipates reaching millions across the state with the message to eat more Georgia Grown watermelon.

In partnership with the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s marketing arm, Georgia Grown, the promotion the billboard campaign will include digital and static posters placed throughout metro Atlanta from mid-May to mid-July. With prime locations across major Atlanta interstates and highways, these billboards, highlighting tasty watermelon with the Georgia Grown logo, will produce impressions numbered in the millions. Starting promotion in May will allow the association to promote watermelon as a summertime staple. Through building anticipation prior to the Georgia watermelon season, and focusing on the promotions during the season in Atlanta, GWA plans to make an impact on watermelon sales this summer.

In-store promotions have always been a big part of the Georgia Watermelon Association marketing effort through the use of the Georgia Watermelon Queen. The Georgia Watermelon Queen is an annually elected role, chosen by the GWA to promote the healthy benefits of watermelon and Georgia’s watermelon industry during the course of the year. This year the GWA plans to amp up their in-store presence more than ever by adding at-shelf advertising in 250 grocery stores across the state. Recipes and serving ideas will be at the core of the in-store promotions with the hopes to promote sales.

In addition to these and other traditional promotional techniques like television ads, the GWA advertising program will also include a targeted social media campaign to influence consumer engagement. “We know it is important to use a combination of in-store marketing with traditional media and social media marketing to reach and remind all kinds of consumers to add Georgia watermelon as a weekly staple in their grocery list,” said Samantha Kilgore, GWA Assistant Executive Director.

The GWA’s message to encourage consumers to buy locally grown produce aligns perfectly with Georgia Grown and they will be recognized through logo placement in all advertisements.  The GWA believes this partnership will help consumers quickly recognize Georgia Grown watermelons in the store.

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The Georgia Watermelon Association’s primary mission is to actively support the watermelon industry of Georgia.  The membership represents growers, shipper, buyers and suppliers to the industry. GWA is proactive in addressing issues and challenges that face the industry and is committed to ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of Georgia’s watermelon industry.  One of the primary objectives of GWA is the promotion and marketing of Georgia watermelons through the Queen program.  

GWA is managed by Association Services Group, a professional management firm with offices in Atlanta and LaGrange, GA, and is one of only 84 AMC’s in the United States accredited by the Association Management Company Institute.

Source: The Georgia Watermelon Association