Fruits and veggies get star-studded backing

A new Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) campaign seeks to increase the consumption and sales of fruits and vegetables.

Healthy food companies are warning consumers to “prepare to be marketed to,” as they band together to launch a new campaign that seeks to give fruits and vegetables the same advertising power and visibility as junk food by enlisting the help of professional athletes and movie stars. The campaign was announced by the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) as a way to increase the consumption and sales of fruits and vegetables among teens and moms.

Known as “FNV,” a catchy way to say fruits and vegetables, the social campaign was launched last month with a teaser video offering a peek at its celebrity backing which includes actors Kristen Bell and Jessica Alba, the WWE’s John Cena, musician Nick Jonas, New York Giants Wide Receiver Victor Cruz, Golden State Warriors Point Guard Stephen Curry, Memphis Grizzlies Forward Jeff Green, San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Carolina Panthers Quarterback Cam Newton.

“FNV was inspired by big consumer brands, whose tactics are relentless, compelling, catchy and drive an emotional connection with their products,” says PHA CEO Lawrence Soler. “We want to do the same thing for fruits and veggies, which have never had an opportunity to act like a big brand. Until now.” Drawing from the fresh, colorful aspects of the fruits and veggies it promotes, the campaign leans on strong typographic design with fruit and vegetable accents to relay self-aware, tongue-in-cheek headlines.

“FNV seeks to create a cultural movement behind fruits and vegetables—one that parents will want to support, celebrities will seek to endorse, and kids will find intriguing enough to get behind,” says Andrew Nathan, chief marketing officer for Victors & Spoils, the company behind the campaign’s design. “Using our freshly minted list of celebrity endorsers, we’ll look to roll out in-your-face marketing tactics that go toe to toe with other big, iconic brands. The days of hum-drum health messages and finger-wagging PSAs are over."

Founding supporters of FNV include: Avocados From Mexico, Bolthouse Farms, the Honest Company, Produce for Better Health, the Produce Marketing Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sweetgreen, Victors & Spoils and WWE.

According to PHA, the campaign will launch nationally this spring using advertising media that include digital, print and out-of-home advertising; sponsorships of youth sports leagues and teams; local business and retail activations; and activations at local events.

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Jeremy Gerrard was Food Engineering's Digital/Online Editor. He is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in journalism. His previous work experience includes years spent as a reporter with the Daily Local News out of Chester County, PA. In addition to writing feature articles for Food Engineering, Jeremy covered the Dry Processing, Field Reports and People and Industry news sections.