IRVINE, Calif. (January 5, 2011) – Estimating that 69.6 million pounds of Hass avocados will be consumed during this year’s Big Game Day festivities, the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is implementing a marketing campaign to further encourage consumer purchases of Hass avocados leading up to and during this key sales period. Building on the success of last year’s program, HAB has again tapped football legend Joe Montana to serve as the program’s spokesperson.
“Guacamole and football go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise that the Big Game is one of the biggest consumption days of the year for Hass avocados,” said Jose Luis Obregon, executive director of HAB. “This is our sixth year implementing a program in support of Big Game, and each year we continue to build on the previous year’s success to further encourage consumer demand of the fruit. Through consistent marketing support by the Hass avocado industry and retailers, Hass avocados have become a staple in Big Game menus.”
Continuing his partnership with HAB, legendary NFL® quarterback and four-time Super Bowl® champion Joe Montana will serve as the official spokesperson for the Big Game campaign. Montana has worked with HAB to develop another signature guacamole recipe – Joe Montana’s Tomatillo Touchdown Guacamole – that is being distributed to consumer media nationwide. Montana also will participate in interviews with top-tier sports media on-site in Dallas (the location of the Big Game) in the days leading up to the championship game.
“Joe Montana is synonymous with football greatness,” said Obregon. “We had a successful campaign with Joe as our spokesperson last year and are excited to continue the partnership for this year’s program.”
To help consumers build their Big Game parties with Hass avocados, HAB’s consumer website will feature a host of recipes and party planning tips. Additionally, HAB will create a Big Game micro site that will feature Montana’s signature guacamole recipe, as well as other game day-inspired dishes. As an added feature, avocado enthusiasts will have the opportunity to create a “recipe playbook,” where they can store all of their game day recipes in one location, as well as have the option to share their recipes with friends via social media channels.
The program also will be supported by online advertising leading up to Big Game to capture traffic of shoppers searching for recipes and party planning ideas. HAB also will encourage consumers to add Hass avocados to their shopping lists though a Big Game-themed recipe e-newsletter sent to more than 50,000 fans that will be distributed in January.
About the Hass Avocado Board
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) was established in 2002 to promote the consumption of Hass avocados in the United States. A 12-member board representing domestic producers and importers of Hass avocados directs the HAB’s promotion, research and information programs under supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Hass avocados are grown in California and imported into the US from Mexico, Chile, Peru, Dominican Republic and New Zealand.
