Zespri is set to unveil a new brand vision, identity and positioning next month at Fruit Logistica in Berlin. The relaunch marks the first time the global kiwifruit marketer has refreshed its brand in its 22-year history.
Zespri already stands out as one of the world’s most recognisable fresh produce brands amongst consumers and retailers, having leveraged its global scale and its commitment to investment in marketing and branding. But the kiwifruit marketer’s chief growth officer Jiunn Shih, who has led the team on this project, says no brand can afford to stand still in a rapidly changing world.
“Today, consumers are looking for brands that go beyond just selling the functional attributes of their products,” Shih told Fruitnet. “Our research indicates people are making more considered choices to buy from companies that stand for a purpose they personally identify with, and that reflects their values and beliefs.”
“Fortunately, Zespri is part of an industry that is guided by a strong purpose of helping people, communities and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit. This purpose provided us with the north star to where we needed to take the brand.”
As part of this brand journey, Zespri undertook an extensive market research project to validate its new direction.
“This was a big undertaking for us, as we wanted to ensure that we were building a more dynamic, uplifting and purposeful brand without losing the distinctive brand assets that our consumers already associate us with,” explained Shih.
“We’ve partnered with well-known global market research agencies to validate our new brand identity and positioning across many key markets.
“One example was a study commissioned with Kantar to test the stopping power and recognisability of our new design in Spain, Taiwan, Germany, Japan, China and the US.
“The results were really reassuring. Not only is our newly designed brand identity perceived as more differentiated, but also consumers are able to recognise the brand faster.”
While Shih was careful not to give any spoilers, he said the refresh of the brand will be backed by strong marketing campaigns.
“We’ll be making our biggest ever investment in marketing in 2020 to ensure a strong brand impact and reach as many consumers as possible,” he confirmed.
The brand will be unveiled to Zespri’s customers and the global fresh produce industry at Fruit Logistica on 5-7 February in Berlin, while it will also be showcased back in New Zealand at Zespri’s Momentum conference the following week.
The brand will be phased in ahead of the new season, Shih noted. “Our season kicks off in April/May, so we’ll probably have a couple of months of soft transition, where we phase out the current designs.”
Shih said he and his team are looking forward to sharing with the world what Zespri stands for. “This brand refresh is the result of the hard work of many people in Zespri, our growers and agency partners. I am as proud of the result, as I am of the collaboration to develop this work. I can’t wait to share it with our growers, customers and consumers.”
This article is published in the Dec/Jan 2019/20 edition of Asiafruit Magazine and February 2020 edition of Eurofruit Magazine. To order your copies, email to subscriptions@fruitnet.com
