PORTLAND, Ore. – USA Pears has officially launched a brand new augmented reality (AR) tool on the Instagram social media platform. Featuring six of the ten pears commercially grown in the Pacific Northwest, the AR tool highlights the flavor attributes of each pear in a fun and engaging way. The ‘Pearsonality’ feature is found on the USA Pears Instagram profile page and is also searchable through the Stories on the platform. Consumers who try out the feature are identified as a Bartlett, Green Anjou, Red Anjou, Bosc, Comice or Starkrimson. By sharing their ‘pearsonality,’ they are further raising awareness about Northwest pear varieties and flavor characteristics.
By educating consumers about the different traits of pear varieties, the AR tool aligns with USA Pears’ efforts to communicate the industry’s commitment to getting flavorful pears to consumers with retailers and the trade. The tool is one of a handful of innovative tactics the organization is using this season to share the importance of ripe and ready flavorful pears. Additional tactics include the ‘Meet the Pears’ digital ad campaign, a new series of videos capturing growers talking pear flavor, digital sampling programs, shoppable recipes on the USA Pears consumer website and more.
“With in-person events on hold for the time being, we have been exploring new ways to reach consumers in the digital landscape and grab their attention with our messaging about the experience of enjoying a perfectly ripe pear,” said Kathy Stephenson, Marketing Communications Director for USA Pears. “AR offers consumers a more exciting and immersive experience while also educating them about Northwest pears and giving them the opportunity to interact with the USA Pears brand on social media. What’s your pearsonality?”
To develop and launch the tool, USA Pears teamed up with Portland-based social media agency Sparkloft.
“The AR filter was a thoughtful extension of last year’s campaign, which personified pear varieties through long-form social infographics. With the goal of driving engagement and awareness, we leveraged campaign graphics to create an interactive way to showcase the many varieties and personalities of pears,” says Martin Stoll, Founder and CEO of Sparkloft Media. “This tool highlights the different social capabilities growers and producers can use to increase awareness and sales throughout the season.”
Since launching in the first week of October, the AR tool has reached thousands of consumers. Try the feature out yourself by visiting @USApears on Instagram or watch a demo here. Instructions on how to use it can be found here.
About USA Pears/Pear Bureau Northwest
Pear Bureau Northwest is a non-profit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh pears grown in Washington and Oregon, home to 87% of the US commercial fresh pear crop. The Bureau represents over 800 grower families and partners with outlets throughout the world in an effort to increase overall success with the pear category. The organization provides marketing and merchandising expertise that is customized specifically for each retail organization, using its pear consumer research findings as well as individual store analysis using an in-house data system that measures pear category performance nationwide and third-party research to show retailers how they perform versus their competition. Retailers who are interested in partnering with Pear Bureau Northwest should contact them at info@usapears.com or 1 (800) 547-4610, as well as visit the retail trade site Trade.USAPears.org or consumer site, USAPears.org
