Sunday as the biggest and best brands battle it out for consumers eyes and wallets during the Super Bowl, one smart, aggressive brand will have its brightest star (except for the one married to the Leader of The Free World) front and center at Levi’s Stadium. Cam Newton is a marketing darling in 2016, and his partnerships extend as far as yogurt, but maybe the biggest impact he can have is for his donated time promoting fruits and vegetables.
The brainchild of the Partnership for a Healthier America, FNV – a brand and marketing campaign aimed at increasing fruit and veggie consumption – is using the same tactics of the biggest and best brands, including star power, humor, and bold creative. Targeting primarily millennials, an audience known to value transparency and authenticity, the campaign nods to this group with a self-aware tone, quirky social media posts, and a carefully chosen celebrity roster including other elite athletes like Steph Curry and Serena Williams, and celebrities like Jessica Alba, Nick Jonas, Cindy Crawford, and social media star Madison Beer, First Lady Michelle Obama…and the NFL’s loudest voice in 2016.
FNV’s thought process is straightforward; celebrities have a heavy influence on kids’ behavior and research shows that they are more likely to pick foods endorsed by celebrities, even when it’s fruit. Yet 79% of food products in athlete endorsements are energy-dense and nutrient poor. Of the $1.6 billion spent annually on advertising food and beverages to youth, less than 1% was spent on marketing fruits and vegetables. That is where FNV is looking to put hip and cool into the messaging; quick hits, flashy ads and simple solutions, none of which talk about nutritional value or serving size, are trying to keep carrots and greens flowing towards a young audience that needs to hear, and consume, the message.
While Avocados From Mexico will have their second Super Bowl ad in two years, the majority of the ads aren’t likely to be in the produce space. That’s where FNV comes in, delivering a healthy message with a brand ambassador that has staying power and a belief in the product. Support like that is never hard to swallow.
