DEWITT, Mich. -- The Michigan Apple Committee has launched its largest multimedia campaign ever promoting controlled-atmosphere apples and apple products throughout Midwest markets.
According to Patrick O'Connor, director of marketing/communications, the $250,000 program includes full-page advertisements in magazines, freestanding inserts, radio spots, in-store materials and billboards.
The advertising "blitz" will run through February, at a time when sales are traditionally slow after the holidays. The common theme throughout all the ads is "Taste the freshness of Michigan."
"Unlike some commodities, we are on a growth curve in the state," he said. "We've got more plantings going in the ground, younger trees that are now producing some new [apple] varieties. It's one of these quiet revolutions going on as consumers and others hear more and more about Michigan apples."
Estimates by the U.S. Department of Agriculture place the most recent Michigan crop at 24.28 million bushels, which is about average for the state, said O'Connor. While the Red Delicious variety is the No. 1 seller by volume, he noted that many farmers are diversifying their orchards to produce less-known varieties.
"We've got a lot of growers converting orchards to new varieties. Gala, Jonagold and Empire are three of the top ones coming out, and we're seeing a very positive response from retailers looking for alternative apple choices," he said, adding that the promotion seeks to capitalize on growing consumer interest in variety.
Aside from promoting the taste of fresh apples, the campaign also urges consumers to stock up on processed goods, like apple juice, cider and apple sauce. In particular, the billboards -- 160 in all, stretching from Detroit to Chicago to St. Louis -- feature close-ups of those products against a background of water-splashed whole and sectioned apples.
Homemade items using Michigan apples are the subject of the FSI, which dropped this week in daily newspapers in Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Louisville, Ky. The drop includes recipes for Scalloped Apples, Apple Butter and Oat-Raisin Applesauce Cookies.
