PASADENA, California – As California Cuties season winds down this month, Sun Pacific’s flagship brand reports an increase in preference and purchase intent among its target audience, millennial parents.
A 2017 Brand Love study conducted by youth research firm Smarty Pants named Cuties the preferred produce brand of parents at the start of the citrus season. After the wrap of this season’s “100 Days of Sunshine” campaign, marketing research by W5 shows that Cuties remains the preferred mandarin brand of parents, posting an 11-point increase in preference compared with its top competitor.
“The positivity of our brand and family-friendly focus resonates with parents,” said Howard Nager, vice president of marketing and business development at Sun Pacific. “Our goal this season was to nurture deep, long-lasting relationships with parents to increase engagement, brand preference and drive customers to our retail partners.”
Cuties’ innovative partnership with iHeart Media and social influencers during “100 Days” allowed for custom experiences with audiences and approached nearly half a million impressions across social, radio, digital, events, OOH and retail. Among the campaign’s highlights were social contests with prominent iHeart Media personalities such as Mario Lopez and Bobby Bones. The first ever Cuties Correspondent contest sent two kid correspondents backstage at an iHeart Radio Jingle Ball concert in Miami, Florida to interview celebrities. In January, Cuties fans shared stories of kindness with the hashtag #ShareSomethingSweet to win thousands of dollars in cash prizes. Both contests, which were activated on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, garnered nationwide entries.
Hundreds of popular parenting, food and lifestyle influencers also aligned with the brand this season to drive purchase intent and preference. The Glitter Guide, Savvy Saving Couple and Domestic Superhero were among those who curated DIYs, recipes and family-friendly activities, reaching more than 36 million parents and fans. Content from these influencers was repurposed on Cuties social channels, where the brand saw 200% growth on Facebook and a newly-launched Instagram page.
“100 Days of Sunshine was more than a campaign,” Nager said. “At a time when families across the country needed it the most, Cuties reminded them to share sweetness and kindness with those around them.”
The 100 Days of Sunshine campaign kicked off November 1 and concluded on National Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17.
Nager says California Cuties will be available at most retailers through April or until they sell out. Summer Cuties return to select retailers beginning in June.
For more information, visit CutiesCitrus.com.
ABOUT SUN PACIFIC
Founded in 1969, Sun Pacific® is a leading California grower, packer, and shipper of fruit with more than 75 million boxes of the highest quality fresh fruit sold each year. Sun Pacific is the owner of America’s most preferred brand of mandarins, Cuties®, and the largest kiwi fruit grower with the number one kiwi brand in North America, Mighties®. They are also the largest navel orange grower/shipper in California, with exceptional brands such Sun Pacific® California Navel Oranges and Vintage Sweets® and known for outstanding table grapes under Air Chief®. For more information, visit www.sunpacific.com.
Source: Sun Pacific®