Blueberries were moving like hot cakes at the New London Theatre on Tuesday night where the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) had set up a pitch in the final days of its three-week promotion.
The Eat the Blues initiative, which took to the streets in London, Manchester and Birmingham, saw three aspiring actors and actresses braving the cold to hand out more than 27,000 fruit samples to passers-by.
Project manager Ian Lawton reported the three-week tour was better than could have been anticipated. He said: “This has been a lot of fun. The blueberry samples went so fast that I had to order thousands more every week or we would have run out. We have been mobbed in train stations where people are just grabbing at the fruit.”
The team made guerilla blueberry drops into radio stations for on-air trials and managed to wrangle a mention from Terry Wogan, Chris Evans, Scott Mills and Jamie Theakston.
The CFFA teamed up with hit creative company Blue Man Group to run a ticket promotion throughout the push on Chilean product.
Most punters at the New London Theatre were as pleased as punch with their spoils.
Emily and Jeremy Mellethin, husband and wife from the US, said the fruit gift was a great idea. “These are delicious, and so good for you. They are a superfood, huh?” asked Jeremy. “We will definitely pick some up to have at home,” Emily added.
Austrian au pair Daniela Pils said blueberries would be ideal for children. “They taste good, I’m impressed,” she said.
Shona McIntosh from Edinburgh wolfed down her sample. She said: “This is a nice treat. But I already love blueberries so I don’t need convincing.”
But others weren’t as impressed. “They should have said something better when they gave you the sample - like, here’s some blueberries, turn blue,” suggested student Jason Foster.
The lively actors and actresses, who also distributed pocket-friendly Z-cards featuring recipe tips as well as health and nutritional facts, were picked so that they would encourage more passers-by to accept samples.
Christian Carvajal, CFFA marketing manager for Europe and Asia, said: “This is the ideal time to sample Chilean blueberries and communicate the health benefits to consumers. Using actresses, actors and an association with the Blue Man Group will raise consumer awareness and ultimately drive Chilean blueberry sales.”
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