From the Chairman: New Brand Replacing 5 A Day Is Star in D.C.
From PBH Chairman Jan DeLyser, California Avocado Commission

Next March, the venerable 5 A Day brand will take on a new identity with the invigorated Fruits & Veggies—More Matters™ consumer brand. The new brand, targeted to connect with and motivate moms, was the star of the show at the foundation’s fall committee meetings last week in Washington, D.C. PBH’s account team from Ogilvy PR briefed us on their launch plans for consumer and media outreach activities across the country surrounding the brand’s March 19 unveiling. To capitalize on today’s modern communications opportunities, preliminary launch plans will feature a combination of new media and old-style activities including a new consumer Web site with a special section to connect moms, as well as community events full of family fun. The PBH team is also working with a major national publisher to feature the new brand’s message in March magazine editions that will reach millions of families.

With less than six months to go to the new brand’s launch in March, we members of PBH have the opportunity to join in the buzz. I encourage every member to support PBH and the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters launch activities by immediately moving to incorporate the new brand in your own marketing activities starting in March. Imagine how many millions more consumers we can reach with our compelling new “eat more” message when we combine PBH’s outreach plans with industry members’ broad range of communications. To find out how to become licensed to use the new brand and the guidelines governing use of the brand logo, read the article below, or contact fruitsandveggiesmorematters@pbhfoundation.org.

PBH members and licensed retailers will play a vital role in launching the new Fruits & Veggies—More Matters brand by spreading the word to consumers that no matter how many fruits and vegetables they eat, everyone benefits from eating more! In anticipation of the launch of the new brand in March of next year, PBH unveiled brand guidelines and a licensing agreement Sept. 12 at fall committee meetings and is encouraging PBH members to make plans now to launch the new brand concurrently in their own marketing activities. The brand guidelines introduce the brand, summarize its core messages, define criteria for what products can carry the brand logo, and establish guidelines for how the logo can be presented. The guidelines and new license agreement stipulate that all materials carrying the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo and messaging must be approved by PBH prior to production and distribution. Get licensed today by contacting PBH Senior Development Officer Kristin Hodgson.

PBH will begin unveiling the new Fruits & Veggies—More Matters brand to consumers March 19, 2007, committee members learned at the foundation’s fall committee meetings Sept. 12. Gathering in Washington, D.C., committee members heard initial plans from the Ogilvy PR account team assisting with the launch. While many of the details are still being formed at this early stage, the focus will be on reaching moms – moms who feel deeply responsible for their family’s health, nutrition and happiness, who are receptive to changing behavior because of their stage of life, and who will act when reached with positive messages. The new brand’s empowering call to action is founded on extensive research, and similarly launch activities are also being strategically designed and targeted. For example, Ogilvy will conduct surveys later this fall and early next year to pretest and validate central launch messages before finalizing launch plans. Initial publicity plans include a national announcement event in San Francisco, in conjunction with PBH’s spring Board of Trustees meeting. Also planned are a consumer sweepstakes, and a Web site offering moms the tools, information and connections with other moms that they crave in the online format they prefer. Plans will also feature extensive media outreach to announce the new brand, including special arrangements that will have industry partnership opportunities with parenting magazines. For more information about preliminary launch plans, contact PBH Interim Senior Executive of Marketing and Communications Linda Dyekman, M.Ed.

Call to Action: Tell USDA You Support New WIC Proposal

PBH Direct! readers are urged to submit comments in favor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to begin providing vouchers for fruit and vegetable purchases to at-risk families participating in the federal government’s crucial nutrition safety-net program. On the advice of an independent Institute of Medicine (IOM) science advisory panel, the agency proposed Aug. 7 to increase fruit and vegetable access for the pregnant women, new mothers and young children who are supported by the Special Supplementation Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The IOM group recommended the change to WIC food “packages” after receiving persuasive testimony from PBH and industry and nutrition community allies. The proposal would create a new market for fruits and vegetables of all forms worth an estimated $500 million; these foods are currently largely absent from WIC food packages. The proposal is expected to be opposed by some groups, so it is important that USDA receive comments in favor of the proposal. PBH President and CEO Elizabeth Pivonka wrote PBH members urging their support, and PBH has developed a model letter to assist PBH Direct! readers in submitting comments by the Nov. 6 deadline. For more information, view the USDA proposal, or contact PBH Nutrition Policy Specialist Tracy Fox, MPH, R.D.

After hearing details of the new launch from PBH’s Ogilvy team in a general session Sept. 12, PBH committees then met to preview staff plans in their respective areas of PBH activity in support of the new brand’s launch. The Channel Marketing Committee previewed preliminary plans to launch the brand in retail, foodservice and other food distribution channels, while the Consumer Marketing & Communications Committee discussed consumer launch opportunities in more detail. The Research Committee met to discuss research plans supporting the new brand’s design and launch, and to monitor and evaluate its effectiveness. Meanwhile, the Development Committee met to discuss how to meet PBH’s future funding needs while increasing value to PBH supporters. PBH committees meet twice a year, each spring in conjunction with PBH’s annual Board of Trustees meeting and once in the fall, and via conference call in between. To find out how to participate on a foundation committee, contact PBH Vice President of Development Claudia Wenzing.

PBH is spreading the story behind the new Fruits & Veggies—More Matters brand to industry members, traveling this week to Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association’s annual convention in Naples. Speaking to nearly 100 industry members in this major agricultural region, PBH President and CEO Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., summarized the extensive research process that identified moms as the most influential target audience, and guided development of the new brand, logo and core messages to positively motivate that audience. Highlighting the importance of research to social marketing campaigns such as this one (see related story), Pivonka described the variety of research that went into developing the new brand. Its formative research included gathering input from a broad range of health thought leaders and industry leaders, as well as quantitative and qualitative consumer research. She also briefed industry members on how they can become licensed to use and leverage the new brand, which will be unveiled to consumers nationwide in March 2007 (see related stories). To find out how to share the story of the new brand with your members, contact fruitsandveggiesmorematters@pbhfoundation.org.

Research and measurement are key to the success of public health campaigns like the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters social marketing brand, Ogilvy PR’s Managing Director of Insights and Research Jennifer Scott, Ph.D., told attendees of PBH’s fall committee meetings Sept. 12. Research and measurement touch a campaign at several points in its life cycle, Scott said, from forming and designing the campaign, to developing strategy, to development of strategy, tactics and messages, to developing information for campaign content, to refining and honing the campaign prior to launch, to evaluating an ongoing program’s outcomes and return on investment. When considering the impact of a public health campaign, she reminded attendees that changing behavior takes time, that results are correlated directly to campaign size, and that networks and partnerships are key to success. She noted the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters brand’s development has been based on extensive research, with more planned prior to the brand’s launch to refine its details. For more information, view Scott’s presentation (member password required).

What does it take to develop a new social marketing brand such as the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters brand? How do you determine what brand rallying cries will emotionally connect with consumers of all income levels and ethnicities, to help overcome their natural resistance to behavior change? How can research support the brand development process? Drawing from PBH’s experience with the branding agency Sterling Brands to pioneer the new brand that will replace 5 A Day, the foundation has assembled educational tools that are part documentary, part brand development toolkit. Two resources are available: a summary CD provides an overview of the process Sterling Brands and PBH used to develop the new brand, while a more comprehensive CD also includes details on each phase of the project and the research tools used to gather input from consumer and industry sources along the way. These tools are a great resource to any organization that wants to invest in its current or future brands. To order either CD or for more information, call PBH catalog customer service at (888) 391-2100. To find out how you can help support the launch of our new brand next year, contact PBH.

PBH is pleased to recognize the following companies who joined or renewed their memberships in support of the foundation Sept. 2-15. Your generous contributions help support PBH’s many activities to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. To find out how you can support PBH, and grow your business in the process, contact PBH Vice President of Development Claudia Wenzing.

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