In a recent message to members of the Florida citrus industry, Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Steve Johnson focused on the role of social media influencers in promoting Florida orange juice.
Johnson stated that partnerships with influencers on social media and in traditional media comprise what he called “a critical component” of the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) e-commerce marketing campaign. The Citrus Commission is the FDOC’s governing board.
“This year, the FDOC partnered with a diverse range of 15 influencers with large followings on social media platforms and blogs,” Johnson reported. “These influencers include moms, dads and health professionals focused on sharing lifestyle tips, nutrition information and recipes. In recent months, partnerships have focused on winter wellness, highlighting Florida orange juice’s role in supporting a healthy immune system and brightening up winter. The FDOC, along with partner agency Edible, work one-on-one with each influencer to ensure specific messaging is incorporated into the posts and is tailored to fit each influencer’s style.”
As a recent example of an influencer’s work, Johnson cited a blog and social media post shared by Palek Patel of the Chutney Life. Palek has 133,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares Indian-inspired recipes and her life as the mom of a toddler. She shared a post on how she gets through the cold and dark Pennsylvania winter months, including telling how Florida orange juice “provides many nutrients my body needs to stay healthy throughout the whole year.” The Instagram post had more than 6,000 likes and 66 comments, including one that said, “OK I need orange juice now!”
In addition, the FDOC is branching out to reach the men who make up half of the lapsed buyer audience. A recent partnership with Derek Campanile of Dad With A Pan featured a smoothie recipe and messaging on the immune support Florida orange juice provides. Campanile has more than 37,000 followers and often talks about his life as a dad, hockey fan and recipe maker.
Johnson reported that the FDOC is also partnering with influential people in traditional media with a focus on health professionals who can dispel some of the common myths surrounding 100% orange juice. Those influencers can also share health and nutrition research with national and local news outlets.
The FDOC plans to continue working with influencers this season as part of National Nutrition Month in March and National OJ Day in May, Johnson stated. Additionally, plans are in the works to increase the ability of influencers to more directly drive sales of Florida orange juice through PriceSpider. PriceSpider is technology that allows the FDOC to connect consumers with products from its retail partners on the FloridaJuice.com website.
Source: Florida Department of Citrus
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