The Almond Board of California (ABC) recently launched a creative marketing campaign in France. ABC’s European marketing director Dariela Roffe-Rackind said the campaign aligns with the buzz of the Paris 2024 Olympics without the steep costs of official sponsorship. “Our agency did a fabulous job coming up with something that was very clever, but also helped to stand out in a really oversaturated time when every single brand or product is trying to somehow tie themselves to the Olympics and the excitement that’s happening in France,” said Roffe-Rackind.
The marketing campaign centers on the value that almonds provide as a source of natural, long-lasting energy. ABC cleverly navigated strict Olympic marketing rules by branding itself as “the unofficial sponsor of unofficial sports.” The campaign humorously incorporated unique and demanding sports like cycle-ball, unicycle hockey, and the trending Hobby Horse sport. “We also wanted to use the existing tone of our current campaign in France but be even bolder and funnier and even more absurd to really help us stand out and have a message that would be relatable,” said Roffe-Rackind explained.
The marketing campaign also featured French comedian influencer Léa Camilleri, who humorously engaged with athletes from these unconventional sports, promoting almonds as their energy source. “We know French people really look to influencers for advice and they can really kind of relate to them,” said Roffe-Rackind.
“This is really taking a look at fostering a culture of support and togetherness throughout the industry, especially in the face of adversity,” said Bailey. “So really just looking at that theme of kind of bringing everyone together and that we’re all on the same team working together to drive growth and global demand for California almonds around the world.”
Since its launch in June, the campaign has achieved impressive results. Running through July, it surpassed all goals with over 15 million impressions and an 80 percent view rate. This success underscores the campaign’s impact and the effectiveness of its clever, humorous approach. “Our benchmark was 54 percent. So, we really outperformed that goal with an 80 percent viewer rate,” Roffe-Rackind noted.
Listen to the segment below.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West