FPI
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Fruitcake
Campaign - Case Study
FPI: Fruitcake Protection Institute
What do you associate with the holiday season? Your fellow man? Family and Friends? Gifts? What about fruitcake? That was just the problem the Fruitcake Protection Institute (FPI) presented to [anonymous].
With their audience eroding … brand recognition in the single digits … and sales at an all-time low … FPI asked us to re-establish fruitcake as the holiday gift of the season. It was no simple task.
After extensive focus groups, months of taste-testing and a state-of-the-art usability study, we came up with an innovative positioning that put fruitcake (and related fruitcake-like foods) back on the holiday map. Click on the links below for our award-winning campaign, "Fruitcake: The Holiday Food Everyone Can Love."
From online viral marketing to offline branding to a compelling TV campaign (with a budget in the hundreds), [anonymous] stopped at nothing to make fruitcake bigger than turkey at Thanksgiving.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[ANONYMOUS] LANDS PRESTIGIOUS FPI ACCOUNT, LAUNCHES AWARD-WINNING ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN.
DECEMBER 14, LANSDALE, PA – [anonymous] Productions, a leading integrated advertising agency, was recently named agency of record for the Fruitcake Protection Institute (FPI), the $5 billion trade association responsible for fruitcake advertising worldwide.
"It’s really quite a coup for the agency," enthused Creative Director Matthew Peacock. "Yeah, we had a lot of work already. But the FPI! I mean, clients like this don’t come along every day."
Work on the account began several months ago, resulting in the award-winning "The Holiday Food Everyone Can Love" campaign.
"We looked at a lot of agencies," noted FPI CEO Marty Fufkin. "But when it came down to really understanding the essence of the fruitcake brand, [anonymous] was the clear choice. Not to mention their skill at driving sales."
"That’s what’s so great about the ‘Everyone Can Love’ campaign," added FPI Director of Marketing Don Hopkins. "I mean, they worked with us to completely revitalize the flagging fruitcake brand. Now, fruitcake is everywhere! It’s the holiday gift! America has gone fruitcake crazy and revenues have been astronomical."
In fact, sales of fruitcake have gone up as much as 275% in some markets …and have even shut down at least 1 metropolitan area for almost 5 hours.
"It was a madhouse," related Chicago Chief of Police Jim Hatcher. "The fruitcake lines on Michigan Avenue blocked rush hour traffic for 7 miles. We had to cite some people for public disorderly. Apparently they didn’t understand that it’s ‘2 per customer, please’ in this city."
Peacock gives much of the credit to the product itself. "We did some good work, there’s no denying it," he noted. "And I’m happy to be recognized by my peers and the industry as a whole. But c’mon. Fruitcake is a slam dunk for an agency. What’s not to like?"
As for plans to expand the fruitcake brand into the lucrative Valentine’s Day market, Peacock remains mum. But analysts expect quite a splash in February. As one industry watcher noted off the record, "With fruitcake this popular, it’s only a matter of time before they launch initiatives for other holidays. After all, after a diamond, isn’t fruitcake a girl’s best friend?"
[anonymous] is a privately-held advertising agency specializing in integrating on and offline branding and communications. To contact [anonymous], please call 1.215.412.8210 or email design@anonymous1.com.
The Fruitcake Protection Institute (FPI) is the trade association representing fruitcake manufacturers, distributors and retail sales.
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