Zespri SunGold™ Kiwifruit: "A Snack More Golden Than Silence"

Advertising agency LRXD is launching an integrated campaign this month to introduce America to Zespri SunGold™ Kiwifruit, a yellow version of the fruit that’s sweeter and more nutritious than the fuzzy green variety U.S. shoppers are familiar with.

LRXD won the Zespri account after a pitch against several undisclosed agencies in February 2018. This will be the New Zealand brand’s first major U.S. advertising effort (and agency) and it will be national in scope.

The campaign, which is called “A Real Snack For Real Life,” will utilize outdoor, social, display, native, digital radio, online video, a microsite and promotions to target an audience of women between the ages of 25 and 49 who tend to be working mothers. The microsite offers informational benefits of SunGold Kiwifruit, store info, coupons and details on a sweepstakes to enter “real life” prizes, such as staycations, nanny services and grocery delivery. The work will run through mid-October.

“A Real Snack For Real Life” was designed to be dynamic, fun, self-assured, humble and playfully charming—a contrast to some competitor products on the market that make unbelievable health claims in their ads. One set of simple, six-second ads use motion graphics to show how snacking occasions are golden moments in a mom’s day: In one called “Junior,” we hear her baby son’s infectious laugh while she eats. In “Nap Time,” she makes a sigh and digs her spoon into the kiwi during her much-needed break.

A trio of short live-action spots uses humor to highlight family snack time. In one, a mom scoops bites of SunGold Kiwifruit while walking around the house, an activity that is set to a soundtrack of giggles. The camera then pulls back to reveal two small kids are hugging her legs and going for a ride as she roams. In a second spot, mom touts the benefits of SunGold Kiwifruit while cutting one, handing half off to a tiny hand, and grabbing her wine glass and toasting “Cheers to easy.” In another, a baby in a highchair looks bewildered as mom cuts a SunGold Kiwifruit—and then uses his spoon to eat it herself!

“It’s a weird time in the food world where every brand seems to be shouting about its benefits as if they will make all your problems go away,” explained Jamie Reedy, Creative Director at LRXD. “Moms are in a tough spot. They want to do right by their families, and all the ‘perfect lives’ they see in social media stress them out. They know perfection is unattainable, and they’re looking for small, realistic ways to help their kids grow up strong and confident—and help them feel they’re doing a good job.”

Zespri is a $2 billion brand that markets several varieties of kiwifruit. The fruit is the top seller in many parts of the world, but it ranks about 20 in the U.S., so the company sees much potential for growth.