Washington Apple Commission: Apples for the New Age

As the saying goes, when one door closes, another open — or sometimes a limited window of opportunity. Such is the case of the Washington apple industry with the recent negative market impacts from retaliatory tariffs in export markets, and the availability of additional marketing funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Washington state is the leading producer of apples in the U.S. and is responsible for 95% of total U.S. apple exports. Exports play an important role in the health of the industry, as approximately one-third of the total Washington apple crop is shipped outside the U.S. The Washington Apple Commission (WAC), representing the roughly 1,260 growers in the state, conducts promotions in 25 foreign markets to drive consumer demand for Washington apples.

In December 2018, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service announced $200 million in Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) funds designated to assist commodities impacted by retaliatory tariffs in foreign markets. This was later augmented by an additional $19 million in July 2019. By leveraging $1 million in grower-assessment dollars, the Washington apple industry received almost $10 million through ATP to conduct promotions in specific markets as a result of the retaliatory tariffs implemented in China, Mexico and India, all important export market destinations for Washington apples.

One of the hallmarks of the new ATP program was the requirement that activities funded by the program be “new and different” marketing strategies, and not simply increasing the level of then-current promotional efforts (which focus on point of purchase consumer activities). Cue the window of opportunity for the Washington Apple Commission to expand the digital marketing presence for Washington apples, among other creative consumer marketing activities.

The commission is launching into the digital world to bolster brand recognition among the key target demographic: millennials. To elevate brand awareness in an extremely competitive global marketplace, the WAC is incorporating social media influencers, video platform advertising, new digital campaigns, and shareable video content with ongoing marketing activities.

Currently, there are 3.8 billion active social media users worldwide. Tapping into the new age of marketing, Washington Apples are connecting with potential, and repeat, consumers via online platforms. India is Washington’s No. 3 export market and has 310 million active digital users with the most activity spent on YouTube and Facebook. 64% of the entire Vietnam population are scrolling through newsfeeds each day and Thai people spend 9 hours and 11 minutes online daily.

To capture this online audience, the commission is partnering with brand ambassadors who are trusted and respected individuals in major export markets to endorse Washington apples, introducing fresh social media campaigns and integrating video advertising on digital platforms.

With new apple variety offerings and advanced technology and horticulture systems, the apple industry is making way for the future. A progressive industry requires creative and innovative marketing. Keeping with the core values of providing quality fruit, grown with care and providing extensive health benefits, WAC is using social media and other digital platforms to drive consumer interest and build awareness. With high costs related to tariffs, prices and increased labor expenses, added value is necessary to motivate purchase of Washington apples over lower priced apples from alternative countries.

The commission is currently implementing the first season of ATP activities, including the digital media programs, which will continue to evolve as results from the efforts are analyzed and adjusted for the most effective outcomes. While free and open markets are always the best route to maintaining and growing export sales, the Washington Apple Commission is using this window of opportunity to help mitigate the impacts and educate new consumers regarding the high-quality Washington apples.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Washington Apple Commission: Apples for the New Age."