Retailers and marketers can take advantage of digital and social media to drive Hass avocado sales. The Hass Avocado Board’s newly released qualitative research, Digital and Social Media Influence on Shopping Behaviors, explores digital and social media platforms and how they can be used to optimize avocado marketing strategies. The study shows that digital content, especially content shared on social media, is an integral part of shoppers’ everyday lives. Throughout their day, shoppers toggle their attention across different sources, including apps, emails and internet searches, and it’s important to consumers to feel connected and in-the-know.
“This study helps guide marketers and retailers to plan their avocado marketing strategies by demonstrating how to get the most out of digital and social media to influence the avocado shopper,” explains Emiliano Escobedo, executive director of the Hass Avocado Board. “Digital avocado content that captivates, educates and inspires can build shopper engagement and influence use and purchase of Hass avocados.”
Captivating the shopper is one of the most important aspects of digital content. Successful avocado-centric content should pique shopper interest by featuring quality photography. When an image features avocados, it is important that the color be bright and prominent to connote freshness. Colorful and visually appealing media channels are more likely to captivate shoppers. Pinterest and Instagram are visually appealing social media sites because of their eye catching layout, presentation and appetizing recipes. Bright colors, good layout and clever presentation are all motivating attributes that help build shopper engagement and influence purchase.
Retailers and marketers can benefit from building awareness of the nutritional benefits and unique ways to prepare avocados to increase interest and use, which leads to purchases. Featuring avocados in digital circulars increases avocado visibility and adding links to “find out more” about the product can increase knowledge and interest in eating and serving dishes with avocados. Shoppers also rely on retailer apps, digital circulars and websites for information about retailer promotions and in-season produce.
Shoppers are interested in new ways to use avocados, and recipe ideas featuring avocados, drive shopping trips. Additionally, incorporating avocados into foods or dishes that consumers already like is particularly appealing. Shoppers find inspiration on social media sites, such as Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. They are also open to informational emails, such as a “featured ingredient” email with preparation instructions, recipes and nutritional content.
To uncover more insights on how shoppers use and are influenced by digital and social media along their food shopping journey, and how marketers and retailers can take advantage of the media to drive Hass avocado sales, visit hassavocadoboard.com/retail to read the full report.