Effective Strategies for Marketing to Diverse Consumer Groups

Marketing a product to a diverse consumer group is essential to ensuring that our message reaches the right people. The success of our Washington Apple Effect Campaign in Colombia from October 2020 to April 2021 is a testament to this fact. The campaign was estimated to reach roughly 33.7 million consumers and achieved its stated goals of launching two new varieties, improving brand positioning, and increasing apple consumption per capita.

One of the key strategies employed in the campaign was the use of a mix of channels, including out of home (OOH) advertising, radio advertisements, point of purchase (POP) displays, in-store events, recipe development, digital advertisements, and influencer marketing. This approach ensured that our message reached different consumer groups present in Colombia, who consume media differently. For instance, while some of our consumers prefer social media, others prefer traditional media like radio.

The campaign also leveraged the power of sampling events, with more than 90 events held in the nation's largest retailers, reaching 27,900 people. These sampling kits were modified to meet COVID-19 restrictions, with innovative vacuum-sealed apple slices and information packets being offered to consumers. Furthermore, point of purchase (POP) materials were delivered to both retailers and distributors, with kits customized to meet the specific needs of wholesalers and traditional retailers, with 331 stores receiving POP kits. This approach recognized that distributors are a fundamental part of our business due to their importance in the market and the large volumes they handle from our product portfolio.

Through social media advertising, the campaign reached around 23.8 million people by using a tactic we called “Apple Week”, allowing us to make our brand and our product known through our digital channels guidelines and influencers. Campaign messaging was intentionally divided between three consumer priorities: “Apples for Smiles” highlighted Washington Apples commitment to children and education, “For a Healthy 2021” promoted a healthy lifestyle that included Washington Apples and physical activity, and “21 Ways to Eat” allowed us to show our followers the versatility of our product in different preparations, departing from the common idea that apples are eaten only in slices or whole. The use of influencers was also instrumental, with the "Healthy 2021" messaging including six influencers across the country who promoted a healthy lifestyle with apples, positioning the brand in a friendly and fun manner. 

In all, by using strategies such as a mix of channels, sampling events, point of purchase (POP) materials, social media, and influencers in our Washington Apple Effect Campaign in Colombia, we were able to market to diverse consumer groups and ensure that the message of our exporters reached the right people. Most importantly, by dividing the campaign messaging between consumer priorities, we were able to connect with our target audiences in an intimate and meaningful way.