Folsom, Calif. – The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s (USHBC) new strategic positioning and call-to-action, Grab a Boost of Blue, officially kicks off this month with a comprehensive marketing campaign and two resource hubs tailored to blueberry industry stakeholders and retailers. Designed to tap into consumer passion for blueberries, Grab a Boost of Blue seeks to motivate those consumers to enjoy more of the fruit they love and can be used in multiple points of contact in retail and digital channel promotions.
After exposure to the Grab a Boost of Blue concept in consumer research and testing (1), participants significantly increased their purchase intent for both fresh and frozen blueberries:
- The top two box purchase intent for fresh blueberries increased by 30 points – 87% of consumers indicated they would definitely or probably purchase fresh blueberries on their next grocery trip.
- The top two box purchase intent for frozen blueberries increased by 17 points – 68% of consumers indicated they would definitely or probably purchase frozen blueberries on their next grocery trip.
“Our strategic marketing program inspiring consumers to ‘Grab a Boost of Blue’ is all about driving demand and increasing sales,” shared USHBC President Kasey Cronquist, also president of the North American Blueberry Council (NABC). “We hope that growers, marketers and other stakeholders will join in to encourage their own consumer audiences to Grab a Boost of Blue, as we believe this data-driven strategy will make a positive impact on both the industry as a whole and their own operations.”
The Grab a Boost of Blue consumer marketing program focuses on six promotional “power periods” based on key buying periods and seasonal trends, encouraging consumers to buy and eat more blueberries during Heart Health Month (February), Frozen Food Month (March), Brain Health Month (June), National Blueberry Month (July), National Diabetes Month (November), and the end-of-year holiday season.
Multiple consumer touch-points for Grab a Boost of Blue are planned throughout the year:
- National digital advertising to consumers driving demand across the entire path to purchase, including online and in-store grocery shopping.
- Retail partnerships and shopper marketing.
- Always-on social media and media relations.
- Exciting consumer promotions and nationwide contests.
- New digital resources and assets.
- An Amazon Alexa skills integration.
- “Blueberry Ambassador” influencer partnerships.
- “Blue Crew” health professional partnerships.
Also included in the Grab a Boost of Blue program launch are refreshed and targeted digital content across USHBC retail, consumer and health professional portals.
- The USHBC Grab a Boost of Blue Toolkit Hub includes resources, tools and advice to help capitalize on this consumer promotion program and drive year-round sales. Industry stakeholders are invited to use assets in advertising, point-of-sale materials, social media, public relations and packaging.
- USHBC Grab a Boost of Blue Retail Hub is complete with resources tailored to retailers, highlighting how Grab a Boost of Blue resonates with shoppers and that blueberries can drive the bottom line.
USHBC is also welcoming and acknowledging participants and stakeholders engaged in boosting blueberry demand. Early adopters of the Grab a Boost of Blue assets include blueberry industry marketers California Giant Berry Farms, Naturipe, Wish Farms, Oregon Berry Packing, HBF International, Driscoll’s and Sunny Valley International, along with industry stakeholders, including the Chilean Blueberry Committee, East West Label Company, Sonoco and the Oregon Blueberry Commission.
Consumers are invited to visit GrabABoostOfBlue.com for usage inspiration and nutritional information about blueberries. For more blueberry industry resources and information, industry stakeholders should visit USHBC.org.
(1) FoodMinds Strategic Insights, USHBC Boost of Blue Communication Check, September 2020, survey of 300 U.S. food shoppers, past 30 day fruit category purchasers.
###
About the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Established in 2000, The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) is a federal agriculture research and promotion program with independent oversight from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USHBC represents blueberry growers and packers in North and South America who market their blueberries in the United States and overseas, and works to promote the growth and well-being of the entire blueberry industry. USHBC was established by blueberry growers and currently has 2,500 growers, packers and importers. USHBC is committed to providing blueberries that are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in clean, safe environments. Learn more at ushbc.org.
