VOG, the Association of South Tyrolean Fruit Growers’ Co-operatives and Europe’s leading producer of apples, has undertaken a major communications campaign for Marlene apples in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The multi-format campaign, targeted at traditional media like TV as well as more innovative channels like social networks, included initiatives aimed at trade professionals, including a contest for retailers to win a trip to Alto Adige, home of Marlene apples.
In the Netherlands, the communications campaign was held on 21 January to 5 February with a TV and Facebook commercial. As for Belgium, VOG’s “on-air” campaign ran from 19 February to 4 March, including a Facebook commercial in both Flemish and French.
In the last few weeks, all crates of apples destined for wholesale markets and specialist stores in Belgium and the Netherlands have come with a leaflet, in Dutch and French, providing information on the history of Marlene apples.
“The Netherlands and Belgium are important markets for our Consortium,” explained director Gerhard Dichgans. “The receptiveness of these countries is also due to the spending capacity of consumers, who understandably have high expectations. This explains our decision to focus more closely on these markets, speaking their language and taking account of their own individual traits. We hope that the possibility of visiting our land through the ad hoc competition that we have organised together with our Marlene clients in Belgium and the Netherlands gives trade professionals an extra tool to promote the origins of our apples, as well as the fruits themselves.”
