First-ever television campaign for pistachios elevates entire category, placing pistachios over peanuts in sales during ’09 fourth quarter
Wonderful Pistachios 'Get Crackin' advertising campain drives 233% increase in brand sales

It’s official.  There’s a new favorite nut on the block and it’s making its competition green with envy.  After the pistachio industry’s first television campaign aired October through December 2009, Paramount Farms’ Wonderful Pistachios brand increased sales by 233 percent.  The unprecedented sales figures during the campaign poised Wonderful Pistachios as the fifth-fastest growing brand in grocery and placed it as the top two “snack nut” items at grocery – outselling its peanut competition by almost two-to-one according to IRI data.

The Wonderful Pistachios $15 million “Get Crackin’” advertising campaign was the largest media buy for any snack nut during one quarter.  It launched on the heels of a voluntary FDA recall only eight months prior and its proactive proclamation to “get crackin’” was a rallying cry for consumers to return to the lowest calorie, lowest fat nut with confidence…and a bit of humor.

“While we used humor in the campaign, the results were no laughing matter,” said Dominic Engels, vice president, global marketing, Paramount Farms.  “The Wonderful Pistachio television spots scored two, top-ten ratings based on consumer recall from Nielsen ad ratings in October. And, that response translated to sales – as Wonderful Pistachios was the fourth-fastest selling item in the ‘salty snack’ category – the only snack nut to pierce the upper echelon of the $8 billion category dominated by chips.”

The TV spots featured eight celebrity figures demonstrating how they crack open a pistachio in their own unique, tongue-in-cheek way. The cast of pop-culture personalities included Olympic swimmer and record-setting medalist Dara Torres; Brady Bunch alum Christopher Knight and America’s Next Top Model wife Adrianne Curry; Jackass prankster Wee-Man; The Sopranos actor Vincent Pastore; former Miss South Carolina Teen USA Lauren Caitlin Upton; the Denny quintuplets; father of Sarah Palin’s grandchild, Levi Johnston; and a real-life dominatrix.

The television campaign was supported and extended by a new Wonderful Pistachios branded Web site; new sponsorships including the World Cup Stacking Association, NYC’s Green Halloween, Los Angeles Marathon Kids; new sales channels including Dodger Stadium; a consumer video contest and an aggressive social media program that connected fan groups to the various personalities in the spots.

About Wonderful Pistachios
The Wonderful Pistachios brand features upscale, premium packaging and a bold contemporary look, appealing to a sophisticated, health-conscious consumer.  Wonderful Pistachios are grown in Lost Hills, California, part of the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heartland of California.  Grown, processed and packaged by Paramount Farms, Wonderful Pistachios are available at retail outlets and grocery stores nationwide including Albertsons, Giant Eagle, Kroger, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Publix, Winn Dixie, Shoprite, Vons and Wegmans, and are available in a variety of sizes.  For more information about Wonderful Pistachios or the Get Crackin’ campaign, including a behind-the-scenes look, visit www.wonderfulpistachios.com; www.getcrackin.com
 

Publication date: 2/3/2010

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