36th Annual Marketing Excellence Award Winner: Zespri Kiwifruit

PROMOTION

Zespri KiwiBrothers — Taste the Obsession

STRATEGY

The “Taste the Obsession” campaign introduced iconic brand characters, the Zespri KiwiBrothers. The dynamic duo made their debut in the U.S. by spreading their sweet and juicy kiwifruit obsession, through a rendition of the ’80s pop hit song, Kids in America, by Kim Wilde.

The Kiwis in America music video was leveraged across multiple digital platforms. In addition, the KiwiBrothers were at consumer sampling events and activations including popular summer destinations.

RESULTS

Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit has grown volume sales +37% versus a year ago, with dollar sales following suit at +26% growth. Ad testing results exceeded all previous campaigns in the U.S. Across the digital channels, Kiwis in America content is outperforming benchmarks, driving higher view-through-rates and engagement versus year ago.

When the KiwiBrothers are onsite, consumers are engaged with the characters and staff. One event manager notes, “People absolutely love the KiwiBrothers. They really liven up the environment and draw attention to our booth. We even had people waiting to get a picture taken with them.”