WATSONVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Life is sweeter when sharing the berry joy! Driscoll’s, the leading brand of fresh, delicious berries, has unveiled the top 10 berry-loving metropolitan areas in the U.S.
Boston, Hartford-New Haven and Minneapolis-St. Paul claimed the top three most berry-adoring markets in the country, according to syndicated category data reported by The Nielsen Company* and based upon the highest weekly store sales of fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. The Twin Cities also emerged as the raspberry consumption capital of the U.S., with families enjoying 132 percent more fresh raspberries per household than the national average annually.
Consumers within these top 10 berry-loving markets, including Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Buffalo/Rochester, Denver, and New York City among others, consume nearly 400 million pounds of fresh berries, or more than 25 percent of America’s total berry consumption.
With national retail sales for all fresh berries continuing to grow at 7.6 percent and leading all produce category sales over the past five years, Americans continue to discover the berry joy. In celebration, Driscoll’s is launching #BerryTogether, a nationwide campaign to engage berry lovers across these top 10 markets.
The Driscoll’s #BerryTogether campaign features an integrated approach of combining live, in-person experiences with digital extensions that inspire bringing people together. Highlights include:
- #BerryTogether Live Experience in Twin Cities: The campaign kicks off in the raspberry-devout Twin Cities highlighted by a 3D experiential art installation that requires people to come together to receive a berry reward. The concept of the installation supports the notion that berries are better when shared together. Footage capturing authentic interactions with the 3D installation can be viewed on Driscolls.com/berrytogether.
- #BerryTogether Social Campaign: To encourage communal berry moments nationwide, Driscoll’s is hosting a national #BerryTogether sweepstakes showcasing photos of favorite berry moments with family and friends. To enter, simply share photos of favorite every day berry occasions on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #BerryTogether for a chance to win a family vacation to California to create more delicious memories. Berry lovers everywhere can view entries and photos through the ongoing hashtag #BerryTogether on social media.
“The Driscoll’s brand promise, ‘Only The Finest Berries™’, has earned us credibility and trust among consumers looking for a consistent, premium fresh berry flavor. Our new #BerryTogether communication strategy is an exciting opportunity to further establish brand differentiation in the largely commodity-driven agriculture industry,” says Frances Dillard, director of marketing and Driscoll’s global brand lead. “These national berry consumer insights provide a platform to create a movement with our brand advocates centered around the fun and emotional satisfaction of eating and sharing berries.”
The #BerryTogether campaign is part of Driscoll’s long-term strategy to capture the strong emotional drivers of why people prefer to eat fresh berries compared to other popular fruits and veggies. The campaign marks the brand’s first U.S. communication strategy since unveiling its first unified global visual identity system across North America, Europe, Australia and China in 2016.
Visit Driscolls.com/berrytogether to find more information about #BerryTogether and the top 10 berry-loving metro areas, view the video of the Driscoll’s social experiment in the Twin Cities, and enter the national #BerryTogether contest online.
About Driscoll’s
Driscoll’s is the global market leader of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 100 years of farming heritage and hundreds of independent growers around the world, Driscoll’s is passionate about growing great tasting berries. Driscoll’s exclusive patented berry varieties are developed through years of research using only natural breeding methods. Driscoll’s is the trusted brand for Only the Finest Berries™.
*SOURCE: Measured by weekly berry sales per store. Calculation based in part on the Syndicated Berry category data reported by Nielsen through ScanTrack Service for the calendar year of 2016 ending 12/31/2016, for the Syndicated Major Markets and Extended All Outlets Combined. Copyright © 2017, The Nielsen Company.
