Winter Springs, Florida-based National Watermelon Promotion Board has added new online marketing trends into the Consumer Communications program.
Recognizing that not all consumers need their content delivered in the same way, NWPB leveraged assets and educational resources by diversifying platforms and implementing emerging marketing trends with dynamic digital approaches.
“The Watermelon Board has been able to be incredibly dynamic and responsive when it comes to navigating trends, capitalizing on our fun fruit personality that is flexible to react in many spaces,” said Stephanie Barlow, senior director of communications. “We prioritize a playful image that keeps our pages vital and vibrant while growing in engagements year over year.”
Several new tactics were initiated to support the “Use the Whole Watermelon” campaign, including Google Web Stories, prioritizing vertical video, incorporation of current digital trends and a beta online scavenger hunt.
- Google Web Stories uses a popular tappable story format. The four stories covered how to use the whole watermelon, using flesh, juice and rind and all point to “Use the Whole Watermelon” landing page.
- Prioritizing vertical video has been an important adjustment:
- It is better for mobile which specifically reached 225,055 web viewers on mobile from May through August.
- Social platforms’ algorithms are prioritizing video in feeds so vertical videos get more engagements in views, likes and comments.
- Reels series using short form minimally produced videos have seen more than 280,000 views across social platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
- Natural kitchen setting with interns instead of recipe inspiration videos created relatable content that resonated with viewers.
- Incorporation of current trends such as the addition of ASMR into owned and shared videos, leveraging the “Little Miss” meme, and creation of our own Use the Whole Watermelon Giphy stickers, which have more than 600,000 views and are usable through “Stories” posts on social.
“It is imperative that we continue to not only recognize and monitor new and upcoming digital trends, but are also nimble enough to reassess our initial plan and act,” Barlow said. “In some cases, that means acting fast…we will try a new digital tactic for a short period of time in order to test the audience’s reaction for a larger potential activation in the future. For NWPB, the tactic’s success is largely determined by audience engagement.”
On Aug. 3 for National Watermelon Day, NWPB activated its first online Scavenger Hunt. The 24-hour campaign asked watermelon trivia questions via IG stories and encouraged people to visit its website to assist with correct answers. The campaign, though short in duration, gave a snapshot about how the NWPB community chooses to engage/participate and helped to establish the likelihood for similar campaigns in future.
For more information about the Communications program at NWPB visit UseTheWholeWatermelon.com.
