Vidalia, GA — Starting on April 21, the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) is launching a new long-term promotional campaign entitled “V is for Vidalia.” The campaign focuses on promoting the versatility and use benefits of Vidalia Onions to consumers.
“Our goal is to reach a younger consumer demographic,” explained Susan Waters executive director of the VOC, “And this fun, energetic campaign, combined with increased digital and social media activities, is the first step in reaching the Millennial consumers and starting to establish their long-term loyalty for the Vidalia Onion brand.”
To launch the promotion, the VOC is conducting a field tour with food bloggers April 25-26. The field tours coincide with the 37th annual Vidalia Onion Festival; allowing bloggers to not only get a behind the scenes look at the Vidalia onion industry, but also participate in select festival events. “We are excited to invite food bloggers from around the country to tour the Vidalia onion fields and packaging facilities at the beginning of our season. Our goal is to educate them on the entire experience from farm to fork and let them become more familiar with how and where Vidalia onions are grown,” said Kevin Hendrix chairman of the Board of Directors for the VOC.
The 2014 “V” campaign includes:
- On pack brand messaging
- Digital coupon
- Social media outreach
- Point-of-Sale materials
- National food blogger contest
- Advertising and Public relations activities
- Food blogger field tour
As part of the promotion, the VOC will be including a digital coupon on their Facebook page and will be giving away weekly prizes on Facebook during the months of May and June. “In 2012, our digital coupon on Facebook received over 35,000 downloads with a 23% redemption rate so we expect to get another great response,” stated Waters.
The VOC is also in the process of updating their website to develop a newly expanded section focusing on providing retailers with key marketing and merchandising resources. Starting on April 1, retailers will be able to access a crop report, highlights from a new onion category research study, downloadable campaign graphics and merchandising tips, as well as storage and handling information.
Retailers can also request POS materials from their Vidalia onion supplier which will feature the colorful “V is for Vidalia” theme. Items available include:
- Full bin and half bin displays
- Self-adhesive, tear off recipe pad (150 sheets per pad)
About Vidalia® Onions
Vidalia® onions are the pioneer of sweet onions and Georgia’s official state vegetable. Grown only in the mild climate and unique soil surrounding Vidalia, Ga., they’re loved by chefs and home cooks throughout the world. Vidalia® onions are hand planted and hand harvested each year, with sweet, juicy bulbs available seasonally from late April to late August. Vidalia® onions, with their mild, sweet taste, are versatile and can be used in a variety of amazing recipes. These Georgia sweeties are also a low-fat, low-cholesterol and sodium-free way to get a healthy dose of Vitamin C. For more information, visit VidaliaOnion.org.
Source: Vidalia® Onion Committee