Zespri is crediting a new health-focused marketing campaign with driving sales growth in Japan this season. The New Zealand-based kiwifruit marketer is set to ship a record 23m trays to Japan over the 2016 season, 14 per cent up on 2015.
The performance coincides with the launch of Zespri’s so called “Kiwi Brothers” campaign, which features two cartoon kiwifruit characters telling Japanese consumers why kiwifruit is so good for them.
The campaign won the prestigious Good Design Award, which recognises socially relevant campaigns that respond to key issues in Japanese society. Ichiro Anzai, Zespri’s Japanese country manager, said the award’s judges were impressed by the detailed design of the mascots, and how the two characters – the aptly named Green and Gold – were integrated into television commercials and in-store displays.
“We’re on track to achieve record sales of 23m trays of NZ fruit this season in Japan, up 14 per cent from last season, and this fantastic new campaign has helped drive sales in what has been Zespri’s long-standing number one market for many years,” said Anzai. “We’re both proud and humbled to receive this award.”
Against the backdrop of slow economic growth and declining fruit consumption rates in the Japanese market, kiwifruit sales are surging in the Asian nation.
Figures released by Japan’s Ministry of Financeindicate kiwifruit expenditure climbed to ¥179 per household during August 2016, above the 12-year average of ¥106, while consumption reached a record high of 217g per household, above the 12-year average of 134g. Overall fruit consumption during August was the third lowest for that month in 14 years at 7.10kg per household.
Seemingly realising its unique standing in the stagnant Japanese market, Zespri changed its marketing direction with the Kiwi Brothers campaign. Having traditionally used celebrities to increase brand awareness, the company believes the health-focused promotion has given it a further boost in awareness and driven more sales opportunities.
“Our strategy is to build on this and drive an increase in overall kiwifruit consumption by strongly communicating the health benefits of kiwifruit to specifically targeted consumer segments,” the company said in a statement.
