5-A-DAY GROUP AND REALEMON COMBINE EFFORTS

ERIC THORSEN

WILMINGTON, Del. -- The Produce for Better Health Foundation, based here, has embarked on a cross-promotional effort that links fruits and vegetables with a line of lemon and lime juices called ReaLemon, distributed by Eagle Family Foods, Tarrytown, N.Y.

The campaign, called Get Fit With 5 a Day and ReaLemon, is expected to appear in more than 5,000 retail stores beginning the third week in September.

The campaign is part of the foundation's 1999 umbrella retail program, Get Fit With 5 a Day. Each segment takes a different spin in urging consumers to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Participating retailers in the September program have received 7-by-11-inch store display cards to hang in their produce departments. The cards hold combination recipes/redeemable coupons.

The coupons are good for 55 cents off any produce item with the purchase of a ReaLemon juice product. The attached recipes provide cooking ideas that use both the lemon juices and the produce items, such as lemony roasted vegetables and fruit salsa. Also available for the promotion is camera-ready artwork for use in retailers' weekly flier.

According to Robb Enright, manager of public relations for the foundation, the campaign is different from past cross-promotional efforts, mainly because the coupon is good toward any produce item.

"We've gotten feedback from retailers during our board meetings that basically they like the cents-off-produce approach," he said. "It gives the consumer the flexibility of buying any produce. It's not just limited to a specific variety."

In addition, participating retailers have the opportunity to receive freestanding floor displays.

"We do have prepack displays, if that's what [retailers] want to put up in their department," said Ilene Bergenfeld, senior brand manager for Eagle Family Foods. Promotion outside the store includes print ads in a number of national women's magazines, including Family Circle, Woman's Day and Better Homes and Gardens. The ads have a similar look to the in-store promo card, carrying the slogan "Makes Meals Zing!" and the Produce for Better Health Foundation logo.