The alternative English apple campaign is back for a second year, as Worldwide Fruit’s Mr Pippy UK Tour returns in October.
The inaugural Mr Pippy tour saw WWF, in conjunction with brand marketing specialist Arbor, take an ice cream van festooned with Union Jack and English apples on a two-week nationwide tour, from the Isle of Wight to Newcastle.
This year, the tour will last for one week, and will concentrate on retailer head offices and supermarket visits, as the van travels the nation.
The “vehicle for taking apples to the people” transported eight growers and more than 15,000 apples to six major cities, five markets and one lifestyle festival during the fortnight in October, 2005, as WWF attempted to increase awareness, highlight seasonality and broaden the appeal for home-grown apples.
Sampling was carried out in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle and the Isle of Wight. Appearances on national and local radio, including BBC Radio 2 and Virgin, brought the fruit to the attention of an estimated 15 million listeners and a further 35,000 visitors to the White Air Extreme Sports Festival were treated to the sight of the Mr Pippy van and growers in their tour t-shirts. “We provided unique entertainment and a memorable experience,” said Arbor’s Dorian Perry. “Mr Pippy was greeted like an old friend.”
