Planting ideas to grow a premium produce brand
The humble apple, as wholesome and delicious as it is common.
Except, there’s nothing common about Auvil Fruit Company’s proprietary Hunnyz varietal. So, they challenged us with taking a bite out of the competition with a creative campaign that would garner the attention that Hunnyz deserved.
Following extensive research, development, and testing by the expert growers at Auvil, Hunnyz was first launched in 2022. Consumer feedback was overwhelmingly positive with rave reviews about the apple’s dessert-like sweetness, satisfying crunch, impressive size, and intense juiciness. Although it was an exciting entry into the premium produce category, the brand lacked sizeable presence in supermarkets.
Announcing Hunnyz’ arrival at Sprouts Farmers Markets, a premium retailer offering natural and organic foods with 483 locations across the US, presented a timely opportunity to grow awareness. That’s when we partnered with Auvil, developing a multi-channel strategy and creative platform that leveraged the excitement and praise of Hunnyz early fans to pique the interests of new retail partners and consumers.
Our insight-driven solution moved the brand away from expected produce marketing norms such as health and farm fresh wholesomeness to an ownable place of elevated enjoyment. Inspired by the company founder, Grady Auvil’s maverick spirit and fresh thinking, our creative team explored an abundance of big ideas to inject the brand with a distinct, playfully rebellious attitude.
From the winged brand icon to the sleek black and red colour palette, boldly confident tone of voice and emotive call to action that invites consumers to get carried away, every touchpoint clearly communicates that Hunnyz are extremely different than other apples, right down to the core. By taking the product out of the orchard and connecting them to irksome consumer scenarios, such as traffic jams, carpool pickups, and business meetings, we create a brand world that presents the Hunnyz experience as an exciting, uplifting form of simple, everyday escapism.
Our big idea is as compelling as it is congruent. Offering adaptability across channels from the trade show floor to the retail environment and the digital space, it consistently piques interest by pairing sensorial benefits with memorable visuals and language, resulting in an opportunity for the Hunnyz brand to not only stand out among the competition, but to truly rise above.
Following the momentum created by this multi-channel campaign, the entire harvest was sold out, and new permanent distribution was secured for the following year.
Challenge
Introduce Hunnyz apples to new retail customers and consumers to increase awareness and secure listings in produce departments across the United States by demonstrating the product’s physical attributes and exceptional quality.
Solution
A strategy and creative platform that transcends the categorical norms of health and taste to position Hunnyz as a one-of-a-kind brand with notable swagger, uncommon edge, and bold attitude – all rooted in the spirited founder’s story. By moving away from typical commodity marketing tactics, we created a visual identity and campaign assets that immediately signal the exceptional qualities of the product. Giving it a distinct, ownable personality that connects emotively to the consumer experience and positions the brand well above others in the produce category.
Execution
- Strategy
- Design
- Brand Id
- OOH
- Website
- Paid/Organic Ads
- Social
- Website Design
- Packaging
- Sales & Trade Show Materials
