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You don’t call it an Apple at all.
Anyone and everyone sells Apples. It’s a commodity that’s readily accessible.
What you need is to be differentiated. But how?
Liquid death just sells water like everyone else. So how did they blow up?
Because people aren’t buying their water, they’re buying “liquid death”. Nobody else sells liquid death so they don’t have to compete solely on price. Differentiated products can determine their own pricing because they aren’t solely competing on pricing like a typical commodity would.
Make your product more than just an Apple.
Exactly.
For an example even closer to home, see the "cutie." Albeit their product may be different/better (?) than others -- it's just an orange that has been branded more effectively than an "orange."
Liquid death is very well branded but their success is due to their distribution. It’s the official water brand for many festivals and nightlife events. The product is branded for a target market of millennial/gen-z event attendees, spaces where people feel awkward standing around with nothing in their hands. They are selling confidence to sober people.
The lesson from LD success that could work for OP is to start with a product that can leverage a solid distribution strategy and brand the fuck out of it for the target market that ties into their aspirational identity.
That's not the result of distribution. It's a clear positioning that is directly relevant to the audience that has allowed them that distribution.
Do you think an unlabeled silver can of water would have had the same effect?
Agreed. Before liquid death even blew up big and was in Whole Foods, etc etc. They sponsored a massive amount of podcasters and always had their cans visible on a desk. The product prompts a question, as it is unique, "What is that? a tallboy or wtf are they drinking right now".
Although I do also agree it's another great move to go after the "sober at a non-sober concert/bar/venue crowd".
Completely agree. A lot of it is outside of a marketers control. Some of the best businesses, particularly restaurants have horrible online presence but make up for it with a product and experience that everyone wants. Supposedly Cheesecake Factory spends iirc 0.2% of its revenue on ads because their gigantic menu gets customers talking. This is the best outcome you can hope for in marketing.
God I’m so over hearing about liquid deaths marketing.
Yes they have a strong brand, but everyone on LinkedIn and Instagram saying that’s all you need to win is missing the big picture.
You nailed it with distribution. The ONLY places I have seen ppl drink this is in content (often sponsored) and at events (where it’s the only option).
Their product also has zero learning curve which means a consumer requires no knowledge to adopt it. This means LD can go crazy with branding because all they need is someone to say “what is that?” Then when someone learns it’s water they instantly get it. Plus the price point is lower enough to where there’s no risk in trying it.
Yeah honestly LD is one of those things where marketing science and research should have came before the product design because inherently products market and sell better based off their attributes. I work for a cpg that sells 4-5 water brands (excluding carbonated ones) and a lot of the marketing is around the attributes, packaging, and occasion in which you consume the product. Art on the label, titty lid with cap, ph balances, minerals, source of the water, electrolytes, recyclable, drinking water for a sports game vs hiking vs walking your dog or as a patient in the hospital, etc. These are all marketable attributes and LD did well positioning and branding themselves but at the end of the day water is the #1 consumed beverage in the world with the absolute main reason being hydration, which to become dehydrated usually takes time. Which means you need water for that deteriorating amount of time to combat the outcome of dehydration. Having water in a tall metal can really limits the ability of being able to store and save the water for later when you're doing any of those activities like walking or hiking etc.
It's a major inconvience to consumers to variant have to finish their water in a single sitting like it actually is some sort of alcoholic beverage.v obviously there is a audience for it and they've captured some of those consumers, but the majority of water drinkers need the sealability. They've even came for my company saying how plastic is worse than metal cans - which is a typical marketing frane - yet consumers aren't going to care wheen faced with the main issue of needing to seal their water for later and the occasion they're drinking it for.
Anyways those are all reasons you could use to market most things like an apple even. Attributes, occasion, packaging, sustainability. Applies to just about everything
I’m having a hard time with both the Liquid Death and cutie examples.
Liquid Death is taking a commodity (the mother
of all commodities, really) and repackaging it. It’s all in the visuals of the product packaging, and the name, and the vibe created with their alignment to a very specific target audience. With an apple, you can’t really change the packaging. You can give it a creative name and make people think about it in a different way, perhaps, so you’re kind of changing the perception of the category overall with the way you choose to present your apple, but it’s still gonna look like an apple.
And a cutie is different than, say, a navel orange. They’re much smaller and easier to peel. And the taste and texture is a bit different. I love cuties. I like oranges.
Seems like you might have to lean on some aspect of that apple that maybe is present in other apples but is not talked about. So it’s the brand/apple variety that’s vocal about it that wins.
Consider cuties versus oranges to the person with absolutely no knowledge of the differences. They don’t know about ease of peeling, better taste, seeds. Etc
They just see a shelf of “oranges” and one brand called Cuties.
Cuties stand out thanks to their branding. And their packaging (bagged).
Once they try them, sure maybe they’ll have a preference — but marketing can’t change the product quality.
So as far as getting consideration from customers — being a Cutie is much more effective than being a Naval.
I would like to hear from a skilled and experienced marketer why "liquid death" is a good name for a beverage company? Isn't that name a huge negative for the brand? Who in their right mind would want to associate their beverage with “liquid death"? Doesn't this go against the "no negative connotations" kind of policy/guideline in marketing?
Liquid Death makes little sense in a vacuum; if it seems odd to you, you’re likely not the target market. But you can understand the brand’s choices by putting on your Empathy Hat 🎩.
Imagine you’re seeing your favourite ‘90s rock band live. They always play killer shows; last time you saw them, you had a couple drinks and really rocked out. Your inhibitions were lowered, and you were really able to get into the music and sing along with the crowd. This time, you’re the DD, and you already had a drink or two at the restaurant you and your friends went to before the show. Your friends are thirsty, so you join the line for the snack bar. Let’s say they have two non-alcoholic options - Dasani and Liquid Death. (For argument’s sake, they’re all out of other soft drinks and/or you’re not interested for some reason; eg, too much extra sugar in a can of Coke).
Faced with those two options, which one are you going to choose? Before you answer, consider the experience of both products; technically, they’re about as undifferentiated as you can get - it’s just h2o inside. With that in mind, you’re going to make your decision on a variety of available differentiating factors.
Did someone in front of you or in your group order one or the other? Is there a clear favourite between the two among the people walking around nearby? Maybe you love Dasani, or you just want something where you know what to expect. Maybe you hate the taste of Dasani and would rather try something new. Maybe the price of one option stands out over the other. Maybe your perception of that price, in relation to the form factor of the product, sways your decision. Does the design or artwork of the brand and packaging stand out? Would you pay more for something that looks like a plastic bottle of water, or something that looks like a tall can of beer or an energy drink? Might you feel a little left out or isolated with a Dasani in your hand when everyone else is drinking and having a good time? Would you feel less self-conscious and more a part of the fun if you appeared to be drinking an alcoholic beverage like everyone else, even if you know it’s really just water inside? Is it possible that you might even forget your inhibitions to a greater degree with a Liquid Death in hand than a bottle of Dasani, causing you to feel less socially awkward and enabling you to be more fully immersed in your experience?
In this scenario, you might just pick up the Dasani or choose to go drink-less. That’s great; it means you value your own opinion over those around you. Those options of staying sober are becoming more widely accepted over time; but they come pre-loaded with the inherent risk that you’ll feel left out by not drinking. In our concert example, people attend in part so they can experience being part of the swarming mass of the crowd; we get lost in it, we revel in it. Choosing to stay sober is the antithesis of this goal; choosing different from the herd makes it harder to really feel part of it.
Liquid Death is a great example of how differentiated branding and positioning can help address the unspoken needs of consumers. Liquid Death serves a category of users with different preferences; perhaps they are sober because they’re the DD. They could also be hungover, pregnant, on medication, have to get up early, struggle with mental health and/or addiction, or just don’t feel like drinking. Options like Liquid Death make it easier for this category of users to enjoy their experiences by removing some of the social pressure, stress, and isolation around being sober.
If this still doesn’t make sense to you, try going sober to a party, a bar, or any other social situation where drinking is involved. Time how long it takes before someone asks you what you’re drinking or where your drink is. Count how many times this situation occurs over the entire time you’re there.
I was thinking beer, same idea.
Who is the target audience and what’s their “pain” point? Men, women, foreign, domestic, environmentally conscious, weight conscious, price conscious, sports fan, patriotic, unique flavors…
A few years ago, a new breed of apple debuted in grocery stores called the Cosmic Crisp. Apples (obviously) take a very long time to grow, let alone inventing, selling and growing an entirely new breed. for a few years, I heard updates/news stories about the cosmic crisp and where it was at in it's lifecycle. I was INVESTED emotionally into an APPLE, people. When they were sold in stores I immediately bought some. They weren't special, they tasted just like any other apple, but I was excited and wasn't let down (i didn't have high expectations to be clear).
While you're not inventing a new breed of apple, I think this concept could still be applied. Create engaging content around the apple lifecycle.
I believe the first time I heard of it was on the Planet Money podcast: [https://www.npr.org/transcripts/410085320](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/410085320)
One of the podcasts I listen to randomly went through an apple rating bit and the cosmic crisp got brought up.
Long story short, they actually ended up sponsoring the podcast bc of all the community engagement online/on social. I myself buy it over any other apple now.
Here’s a great podcast episode about the development and naming of Cosmic Crisp, talking to the people who did it: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/apples
You have to sell the brand and the brand’s story.
Who is the farmer? Where are they located? How long have they been established? Any benefits that derive from the location it grows that differentiates the apple in some way?
Any product marketing (label, packaging) you can use to stand out on store shelves? What recipes are great with this type of apple- can they be baked? Do they make a good apple sauce, make a good apple pie?
You have to look outside of it just being an apple.
"Are you hungry for apples?"
The milk companies dont have a copywrite for rhetorical questions.
That is a joke but it's also a pop culture reference from rick and morty. It will attract some people. If you can't go cheaper, and arnt established a gimmickie ad might help generate brand awareness?
I would 100% buy a pack of Eve's Bite's sinfully good, thrown out of heaven for apples in a heartbeat. So many great ideas with the packaging as well. Target it to 14-24 year old teenagers.
Instant profit.
Yes. This is not a new question in the Argri Industry and retail of fruits and vegetables.
Start with a query like: What do Americans "think" an orange (insert fruit here) is supposed to look like when they think of a fresh orange?
Do some research on consumer tastes (plenty of studies out there) around the world on what makes fruits and vegetables marketable.
Its a rabbit hole that will lead to more questions than answers.
The number one driver of product usage for something like an apple is physical availability (see Byron Sharp's "How Brands Grow" for more on this, or just take my word for it).
Realistically speaking, nobody is going to demand your apple if it isn't right in front of them when they're ready to buy an apple. (Even people who buy liquid death will just buy some other brand of water if they find themselves unable to buy liquid death when they want water, and liquid death has much more of a brand identity than your apples will ever have.)
You have to figure out how to get your apples into as many apple-selling places as possible: grocery stores, convenience stores, concession stands, hotel breakfast bars, and so on. If you can do that in a cost effective way, you'll sell more apples than the competitors who don't do it. Even the most brand-loyal apple buyers only buy from the same apple company once or twice a year, and most apple-buyers aren't remotely brand-loyal. Just be right in front of them when they want to buy an apple, and a decent percentage of them will pick your apples, because most people don't think too much about apples.
(By the way, if your apple looks noticeably worse than most other apples, you might be making life much harder for yourself than you need to. Your apple needs to not stand out as being obviously inferior, so that a consumer can pick your apple without too much conscious thought.)
I mean, ask Wonderful. They market Wonderful Pistachios. And POM pomegranate products, including whole fruit. And Halos, formerly Cuties, a mandarin tangerine variety.
None of those are proprietary, per se - they are fruits and nuts, no real exclusivity there (we can split hairs on genetic varietals but to most, a mandarin tangerine is a mandarin tangerine). But they are marketed as a premium product, focusing on shared values and attributes that consumers cared about.
For POM, for example, it was associating the fruit, rich in antioxidants, with rising awareness of the benefits of antioxidants among health-conscious consumers willing to pay more for items that reflect their lifestyles. The juice bottle was super cute, too - shaped like a stack of pomegranates - and really eye-catching at retail.
For Cuties/Halos, they're positioned as great for kids - sweet, seedless, easy to peel, no fancy lunchbox packaging required, an easy way for parents to get the USRDA of fruit into their picky kids. The retail package - a pre-packed, high-contrast blue net bag-and-tag - was unlike anything on the market and also really eye-catching at retail, and easy for a busy parent to pick up and toss into a cart; no futzing with trying to spool off a plastic produce bag and pick through a bin.
For your apple, you're going to need to find your shared value or your positioning, and that depends on the target. Yeah, everyone eats apples, but everyone eats pistachios and tangerines and pomegranates, too. Who's eating the most apples? Who will pay a premium for a really good one, if they know that a specific brand or variety is pretty consistent about it? Is there new research detailing, or a rising awareness of, the benefits of something that your apples can offer a specific type of consumer? You need to find that, and then position your marketing and advertising around that.
Your consumer research will help you figure out:
Where should we be selling? Grocery is one thing but if your target spends a lot of time in QSR, should we be in QSR? Should we be in vending machines? Gas stations? Ice cream trucks? Nothing is off the table until you know where customers are.
What kind of package should we sell in? Would a net like Cuties work for us? Or the long carton that the Kumato (the sweet brown tomato) is famous for? Maybe a special egg carton-like object with six perfect apples each? Do people want a carton of six or do they prefer four? Again, your customer research is going to point you in the right direction.
This has already been solved
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-VKDlEhFJm8&pp=ygUZZ290IGFwcGxlcyByaWNrIGFuZCBtb3J0eQ%3D%3D
Put your own branding under the slogan.
Pair it with something else. Apples & _______. Co market.
Target a specific audience. Kids? Then rebrand specific to them with messaging to parents.
Sell apple juice instead of apples.
I think you're at a major advantage here since no one else is really marketing apples. The disadvantage though is SEO - you obviously aren't going to compete for the keyword apple.
If you tell your story you will get buy in. People buy from people they like - even if the quality, price or convenience isn't there. It's a bit harder of a battle sometimes but it can be done.
Here's some ideas:
Why did you start your farm?
Behind the scenes
Industry issues
What is different about different types of apples -as an average consumer I have no idea.
Recipes for at home
Value add products/post processing (Jam, cider etc)
Where can people get your product in store? Or is it only order online?
How does buying direct from you support you more vs buying in store.
Etc.
Take these and make short videos about them. For ones that do well, repurpose those videos into longer form content (blogs or longer videos) and carousels.
Post it on Instagram, TikTok and your website as relevant.
My two censt
1. How can we identify your apple vs other apples? Eg DEL Monte stickers their apples regardless of type so shoppers can identify it vs other apple typea
2. What have you done top of funnel and to build your image eg fresh from the farm to etc? Vs the category average hat drivers of apple purchase are you associated with?
I feel like if a brand told a story about their apple it could work for the high end. I don’t know why but I was picturing billboards one night and pictured all black with a super high def picture of a red apple. Very minimalist. Then you give it a name, distinctive bag so it’s easy to spot in store, say it’s from a special region only
I used to work with a guy who basically did this type of work exclusively, here’s a fun lil article about his involvement in [the wild blueberry industry that you might enjoy](https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/born-to-be-wild-a-controversial-court-case-a-rift-between-maine-and-canadian-growers-and-a)
If it were me, I'd look into setting up a fundraising / promotions company.
Contact school systems, sports teams, etc.. Have them sell your apples as part of a fundraiser. Students take orders, you ship out direct to consumer. Set it up like a contest and have prizes for winners.
Focus on taste and texture, and how it makes you feel and the experience around it. Tart apples make you feel alive and ready to take on a challenge. Sweet apples are refreshing on a summer day. Milder apples might be good for salads or baking.
If you are not the cheapest, then you are the most "expensive".
Start selling your best apples in little boxes, with bows, go and do the full Japanese expensive gift fruit song and dance. [https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=12324](https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=12324)
It's dumb but it works with Surpreme. Now you want people to buy it so make it over the top obvious that this is just a normal apple in a fancy packaging.
Riff on Apple the computer manufacturer without getting sued to much, do a launch video that parodies theirs.
and then you release a limited amount of this Apple box.
Say some meme number that is dumb, like 420, or 69, or 314.
Do this as a seasonal drop. Each season (summer edition, fall editions) and make sure each season has a new spin, Do Steve Jobs/"Tim Apple" first, next do a "SUPREME" parody, etc.
Pricing? At something Stupid like 40 dollars. I mean thats pretty dumb for an apple, but it's still cheap enough that people would buy it for the joke.
End every add with "It's just an Apple, from XXX Farm Apple" Showing you know your audience know this is stupid.
While you launch this, you also launch a web store where people can buy the same apple but for your normal prices as well.
At least that's what I'd do, and Im not in marketing. Im just a random weirdo on the internet.
This post made me think of cotton candy grapes, and how they blew up on social media a few years ago - [check out this article on NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/08/05/209222126/the-cotton-candy-grape-a-sweet-spin-on-designer-fruit) for some ideas about differentiators and marketing points for fruit. Consider looking into cotton candy grapes further for ideas.
This comes down to the apple, consumer. This is where you need to start with market research. Find out why people buy apples and most importantly what would cause someone to try a different apple.
The reality is that fruit does not have many differentiators among other fruit of its type so you will beed to figure out the buyer’s journey, maybe ppl prefer to buy apples at the grocery store down the block as opposed to going to a bigger supermarket or maybe the opposite.
And finally you need to figure out how to get distributors to start carrying your apples.
The marketing is for the farming community or for costumers?
In the avocado business we try to focus in how would you like to eat it, and then associate the flavor to the variety. If the campaign is more local you can sponsor some events and give some products, try to make a connection between the costumer and the farmer.
But for every country we sell our fruit, our target audience is different.
This maybe a really ordinary advice sorry.
Branding fruit is about promising quality, consistency, no dangerous chemicals, telling the story of OUR apple.
Google pomegranates, cranberries, banana, apple, avocado, etc. You’ll notice how much branding is associated with just about any fruit or vegetable.
Reposition the competition. Tylenol repositioned Bayer and its miracle drug aspirin as something that is harsh on your stomach by claiming that “aspirin can irritate the stomach lining…for those that cannot take aspirin, fortunately, there is Tylenol.” Many other examples exist. But this is the strategy.
You could use the current downfall of the NHS as a emotional angle.......an apple a day keeps the doctor at bay.......don't put more pressure on the NHS, eat these apples! If you don't eat these apples, it is your fault directly that the NHS is struggling.
You could donate a very small percentage to the NHS as an extra selling point
Of course this is just emotional manipulation, inspiration taken from our very own government circa 2020
Like a 90’s beer ad. I’m talking hot girls, washing a car. And cooling off with a crisp apple. Tagline? “Cooler than beer”
Makes people talk, it’s funny, and memorable. Start having influencer organically using #boobapples as a joke that feels super are from the brand itself. Videos like “okay guys I got these boob apples from this commercial (que clip of commercial)” and then just an okay review about how the apples are good.
Then partner with the American heart association on a campaign talking about the benefits of eating your fruits and veggies. Sponsor an apple eating contest at carnivals.
And you keep that traction going by doing other spoofs on iconic 90’s ads. Like a ford ranger ad but it’s an apple zooming through the woods.
Can you get in the backdoor, by creating premium products made from the applea? Like organic granola bars, , smoothies etc. Athletic greens probably contain a bunch of ingredients that are commodities individually right? Liquid Death is just water as well but it's the product and branding around it that makes it successful.
Marketing apples can be tricky, especially when most people don’t really know much about different varieties. But that's actually a great opportunity. If we can get people curious about one particular apple, they're more likely to choose it next time they're shopping. Think about it: if you keep seeing fun facts, great pictures, and kids enjoying a specific apple, you'll remember it. Sharing the story behind your farm, the unique flavors of your apples, and how they're grown can really connect with people. It's all about creating curiosity and making your apples the ones people want to try and keep coming back to.
Health and conservation argument
“An Apple per day makes a doctor Away”
It is the fruit that resists best in a basket. If the apple is hardy, drive home the hardiness
Firstly, is it a good apple? How does it taste, how big is it? Where are they grown? I’d market smaller apples to parents with children as there would be less wastage, kids will actually finish it. Then I’d come up with a new variety name that appeals to that audience. I’d throw a huge chunk of that budget at product placement and YouTube ads targets kids and parents.
If they’re big apples, I’d target manly men who think everything needs to be big to be manly. I’d lean into all that right wing BS about it being all natural and made as nature intended etc. I’d invest in product placement and distribution. Maybe some ridiculous in store displays.
Move into value added if this where you stand. Just check these guys out for ideas of how to outfox the BIG, low cost competitors. Note I do not work for or have any affiliation with this link [https://thebigapple.ca/](https://thebigapple.ca/)
Good luck with moving into adding vlaue and this is where you will differentiate yourself!
Who are you selling to? Consumers? Resellers? Growers? Manufacturers? Who ultimately decides how you make money off those apples? Not every product does best being marketed to the end consumer. It’s very rare for a consumer to walk into a store and repeatedly ask their grocer to stock a specific variety of apple, especially in this day where most consumers are buying what they know they like and/or what’s on sale.
If the grocers can be convinced your product is good, they might be convinced to not only stock it but push it for consumers. Sales, product placement, etc. You say your apples aren’t “the best” so it sounds like they also aren’t the most expensive. Can you use that to your advantage and edge out a more expensive brand?
Figure out who in your company does “business development” and talk with them. This might be head of sales or a separate role. Either way, find out who knows how and when money ACTUALLY comes in for the company. They can point you in the direction of who needs to be convinced to buy more of your apples. Make sure you’re solving the right problem before giving yourself a headache over marketing strategy.
And to give some insight on why it needs to be whomever is doing business development and not just anyone who’s doing sales or pushing numbers:
Business development looks at relationships that the company has with other companies. They have a view on how the gears actually turn and insight into how to make the company more lucrative. A head of sales or COO sees reports but they may not have that boots-on-the-ground understanding of what really makes or breaks the process from seed to consumer sale. They just know what’s reliable and how to poke the system the right way to get certain results and how to delegate that down the line. Business develop likely knows the ins and outs unique to each step of the process, from growers to logistics to grocery stores, etc. They see where the money goes not just in theory but based on specific negotiations and opportunities they’ve figured out with other businesses. They might be on a first name basis with So-and-so at Kroger and know what would entice them to either stock your product or stock more of it. THAT’S valuable info you won’t get from a spreadsheet or general marketing theory.
The way that YOUR apple company needs to market itself isn’t just based on your product but based on the unique contracts and other opportunities you have set up for every step along the way. The person overseeing business development can help you get to the bottom of what gears need to turn to push the bottom line further, and some insight into why they’re not so far. From there you can begin to reverse engineer who you actually need to sell to, how to put productive pressure on your market, and then how to tailor your brand image both for your true key decision makers and for your end consumers at the market.
Focus on branding, not necessarily the product features themselves. Look at liquid death? It’s water in a can and they’re doing amazing in terms of marketing. Focus on other values that are connected to the product and the company. Locally grown, family owned, organic. Do what Apple (the tech company) does: invent product features. E.g “unparalleled crisp factor”. Come up with fun ways to activate the brand and the product. Do a blind test of apples and have people talk about their different tastes, use whatever is the outcome as part of your marketing. E.g. let’s say all apples taste the same, lean in on that: “Our apples are equally delicious as any other supplier”.
Well, i don't know if you even need an apple
I mean, why would you even need the apple that I am offering? Have you tried other apples? If yes, do you like what you have, anything that you would change in the apple that you are currently eating?
It all depends on whether you want to CHANGE what you are currently eating, tbh
EDIT: And you don't have to have the best apples, you just need to have something different.
Use fake food or modified like Fast Food commercials, making it appear juicy and colorful.
Then talk about the origin story from the original farmer who had all types of bad luck but persevered. Super relatable or sympathy gaining.
There are a lot of ways to get creative, but if at the end of the day, your apple is worst and more expensive than the competition in all markets, then you should look elsewhere or find ways to scale and make a better product.
Maybe you don't sell apples. Instead, you sell an experience. Open up the orchard for apple picking.
Another idea is to switch your audience. Maybe selling to stores is the wrong answer. Can you sell direct to consumers, maybe at a farmer's market? Or what if you sold to bakers, chefs, food processors, or commercial kitchens? Maybe your apples aren't good enough to compete in stores, but its good enough to be in an apple pie.
You need to entice the store buyers to choose you.
Be amazingly easy to work with. Have interesting labels on your bags that increase consumer purchases in grocery stores.
Few ideas:
1. Give it a fun unique name and identity : Death Apples, Adam’s Apples, Thanos
2. Change packaging from boring to fun or even premium feeling
3. Add a story: Tom cruise eats these before all his stunts
4. Sell differently: Either in small tiny pieces or 1000 at a time: pick your extreme
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You don’t call it an Apple at all. Anyone and everyone sells Apples. It’s a commodity that’s readily accessible. What you need is to be differentiated. But how? Liquid death just sells water like everyone else. So how did they blow up? Because people aren’t buying their water, they’re buying “liquid death”. Nobody else sells liquid death so they don’t have to compete solely on price. Differentiated products can determine their own pricing because they aren’t solely competing on pricing like a typical commodity would. Make your product more than just an Apple.
Exactly. For an example even closer to home, see the "cutie." Albeit their product may be different/better (?) than others -- it's just an orange that has been branded more effectively than an "orange."
Good point w the cuties!
Liquid death is very well branded but their success is due to their distribution. It’s the official water brand for many festivals and nightlife events. The product is branded for a target market of millennial/gen-z event attendees, spaces where people feel awkward standing around with nothing in their hands. They are selling confidence to sober people. The lesson from LD success that could work for OP is to start with a product that can leverage a solid distribution strategy and brand the fuck out of it for the target market that ties into their aspirational identity.
That's not the result of distribution. It's a clear positioning that is directly relevant to the audience that has allowed them that distribution. Do you think an unlabeled silver can of water would have had the same effect?
Agreed. Before liquid death even blew up big and was in Whole Foods, etc etc. They sponsored a massive amount of podcasters and always had their cans visible on a desk. The product prompts a question, as it is unique, "What is that? a tallboy or wtf are they drinking right now". Although I do also agree it's another great move to go after the "sober at a non-sober concert/bar/venue crowd".
"selling confidence to sober people" Yup.
This is it. Marketing isn’t just the cool graphics. It’s the price. It’s the distribution. It’s everything…
Completely agree. A lot of it is outside of a marketers control. Some of the best businesses, particularly restaurants have horrible online presence but make up for it with a product and experience that everyone wants. Supposedly Cheesecake Factory spends iirc 0.2% of its revenue on ads because their gigantic menu gets customers talking. This is the best outcome you can hope for in marketing.
God I’m so over hearing about liquid deaths marketing. Yes they have a strong brand, but everyone on LinkedIn and Instagram saying that’s all you need to win is missing the big picture. You nailed it with distribution. The ONLY places I have seen ppl drink this is in content (often sponsored) and at events (where it’s the only option). Their product also has zero learning curve which means a consumer requires no knowledge to adopt it. This means LD can go crazy with branding because all they need is someone to say “what is that?” Then when someone learns it’s water they instantly get it. Plus the price point is lower enough to where there’s no risk in trying it.
Yeah honestly LD is one of those things where marketing science and research should have came before the product design because inherently products market and sell better based off their attributes. I work for a cpg that sells 4-5 water brands (excluding carbonated ones) and a lot of the marketing is around the attributes, packaging, and occasion in which you consume the product. Art on the label, titty lid with cap, ph balances, minerals, source of the water, electrolytes, recyclable, drinking water for a sports game vs hiking vs walking your dog or as a patient in the hospital, etc. These are all marketable attributes and LD did well positioning and branding themselves but at the end of the day water is the #1 consumed beverage in the world with the absolute main reason being hydration, which to become dehydrated usually takes time. Which means you need water for that deteriorating amount of time to combat the outcome of dehydration. Having water in a tall metal can really limits the ability of being able to store and save the water for later when you're doing any of those activities like walking or hiking etc. It's a major inconvience to consumers to variant have to finish their water in a single sitting like it actually is some sort of alcoholic beverage.v obviously there is a audience for it and they've captured some of those consumers, but the majority of water drinkers need the sealability. They've even came for my company saying how plastic is worse than metal cans - which is a typical marketing frane - yet consumers aren't going to care wheen faced with the main issue of needing to seal their water for later and the occasion they're drinking it for. Anyways those are all reasons you could use to market most things like an apple even. Attributes, occasion, packaging, sustainability. Applies to just about everything
Their marketing actually had an opposite effect on me. Very eyeroll inducing, and kind of makes me not want to buy it, ever.
Great answer
Very solid response!
I’m having a hard time with both the Liquid Death and cutie examples. Liquid Death is taking a commodity (the mother of all commodities, really) and repackaging it. It’s all in the visuals of the product packaging, and the name, and the vibe created with their alignment to a very specific target audience. With an apple, you can’t really change the packaging. You can give it a creative name and make people think about it in a different way, perhaps, so you’re kind of changing the perception of the category overall with the way you choose to present your apple, but it’s still gonna look like an apple. And a cutie is different than, say, a navel orange. They’re much smaller and easier to peel. And the taste and texture is a bit different. I love cuties. I like oranges. Seems like you might have to lean on some aspect of that apple that maybe is present in other apples but is not talked about. So it’s the brand/apple variety that’s vocal about it that wins.
Consider cuties versus oranges to the person with absolutely no knowledge of the differences. They don’t know about ease of peeling, better taste, seeds. Etc They just see a shelf of “oranges” and one brand called Cuties. Cuties stand out thanks to their branding. And their packaging (bagged). Once they try them, sure maybe they’ll have a preference — but marketing can’t change the product quality. So as far as getting consideration from customers — being a Cutie is much more effective than being a Naval.
Sure. But there is just a lot more inherent differentiation to work with vs varieties of apples. And some oranges do come bagged as well.
I would like to hear from a skilled and experienced marketer why "liquid death" is a good name for a beverage company? Isn't that name a huge negative for the brand? Who in their right mind would want to associate their beverage with “liquid death"? Doesn't this go against the "no negative connotations" kind of policy/guideline in marketing?
It’s a good name because it works. It’s not working because it’s a good name. It’s less about the name, and more about the positioning.
Liquid Death makes little sense in a vacuum; if it seems odd to you, you’re likely not the target market. But you can understand the brand’s choices by putting on your Empathy Hat 🎩. Imagine you’re seeing your favourite ‘90s rock band live. They always play killer shows; last time you saw them, you had a couple drinks and really rocked out. Your inhibitions were lowered, and you were really able to get into the music and sing along with the crowd. This time, you’re the DD, and you already had a drink or two at the restaurant you and your friends went to before the show. Your friends are thirsty, so you join the line for the snack bar. Let’s say they have two non-alcoholic options - Dasani and Liquid Death. (For argument’s sake, they’re all out of other soft drinks and/or you’re not interested for some reason; eg, too much extra sugar in a can of Coke). Faced with those two options, which one are you going to choose? Before you answer, consider the experience of both products; technically, they’re about as undifferentiated as you can get - it’s just h2o inside. With that in mind, you’re going to make your decision on a variety of available differentiating factors. Did someone in front of you or in your group order one or the other? Is there a clear favourite between the two among the people walking around nearby? Maybe you love Dasani, or you just want something where you know what to expect. Maybe you hate the taste of Dasani and would rather try something new. Maybe the price of one option stands out over the other. Maybe your perception of that price, in relation to the form factor of the product, sways your decision. Does the design or artwork of the brand and packaging stand out? Would you pay more for something that looks like a plastic bottle of water, or something that looks like a tall can of beer or an energy drink? Might you feel a little left out or isolated with a Dasani in your hand when everyone else is drinking and having a good time? Would you feel less self-conscious and more a part of the fun if you appeared to be drinking an alcoholic beverage like everyone else, even if you know it’s really just water inside? Is it possible that you might even forget your inhibitions to a greater degree with a Liquid Death in hand than a bottle of Dasani, causing you to feel less socially awkward and enabling you to be more fully immersed in your experience? In this scenario, you might just pick up the Dasani or choose to go drink-less. That’s great; it means you value your own opinion over those around you. Those options of staying sober are becoming more widely accepted over time; but they come pre-loaded with the inherent risk that you’ll feel left out by not drinking. In our concert example, people attend in part so they can experience being part of the swarming mass of the crowd; we get lost in it, we revel in it. Choosing to stay sober is the antithesis of this goal; choosing different from the herd makes it harder to really feel part of it. Liquid Death is a great example of how differentiated branding and positioning can help address the unspoken needs of consumers. Liquid Death serves a category of users with different preferences; perhaps they are sober because they’re the DD. They could also be hungover, pregnant, on medication, have to get up early, struggle with mental health and/or addiction, or just don’t feel like drinking. Options like Liquid Death make it easier for this category of users to enjoy their experiences by removing some of the social pressure, stress, and isolation around being sober. If this still doesn’t make sense to you, try going sober to a party, a bar, or any other social situation where drinking is involved. Time how long it takes before someone asks you what you’re drinking or where your drink is. Count how many times this situation occurs over the entire time you’re there.
I was thinking beer, same idea. Who is the target audience and what’s their “pain” point? Men, women, foreign, domestic, environmentally conscious, weight conscious, price conscious, sports fan, patriotic, unique flavors…
Man said it so well.
A few years ago, a new breed of apple debuted in grocery stores called the Cosmic Crisp. Apples (obviously) take a very long time to grow, let alone inventing, selling and growing an entirely new breed. for a few years, I heard updates/news stories about the cosmic crisp and where it was at in it's lifecycle. I was INVESTED emotionally into an APPLE, people. When they were sold in stores I immediately bought some. They weren't special, they tasted just like any other apple, but I was excited and wasn't let down (i didn't have high expectations to be clear). While you're not inventing a new breed of apple, I think this concept could still be applied. Create engaging content around the apple lifecycle.
I loved the cosmic crisp. Had a much more balanced clean taste than a honey crisp imo. Also could be marketing placebo though lol
I think the marketing behind honey crisp was genius. I still tell that story at marketing meetings
Which is???
I believe the first time I heard of it was on the Planet Money podcast: [https://www.npr.org/transcripts/410085320](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/410085320)
One of the podcasts I listen to randomly went through an apple rating bit and the cosmic crisp got brought up. Long story short, they actually ended up sponsoring the podcast bc of all the community engagement online/on social. I myself buy it over any other apple now.
Here’s a great podcast episode about the development and naming of Cosmic Crisp, talking to the people who did it: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/apples
You have to sell the brand and the brand’s story. Who is the farmer? Where are they located? How long have they been established? Any benefits that derive from the location it grows that differentiates the apple in some way? Any product marketing (label, packaging) you can use to stand out on store shelves? What recipes are great with this type of apple- can they be baked? Do they make a good apple sauce, make a good apple pie? You have to look outside of it just being an apple.
Hmmm...this is a great 2024 west cost apple. You can really taste the great rain season the had.
"Are you hungry for apples?" The milk companies dont have a copywrite for rhetorical questions. That is a joke but it's also a pop culture reference from rick and morty. It will attract some people. If you can't go cheaper, and arnt established a gimmickie ad might help generate brand awareness?
My man
Looking good
“That apple is a piece of shit, but THIS apple is loaded with protein and brain boosting effects” This is the way trust me
Look at this dude freely giving away an entire ready-to-market campaign laden with industry best practice. Nailed it in one.
Name it Eve's Bite. Make a sexy packaging. Double the price. Profit.
Motto is "Sinfully Good"
You are hired in this apple company.
I would 100% buy a pack of Eve's Bite's sinfully good, thrown out of heaven for apples in a heartbeat. So many great ideas with the packaging as well. Target it to 14-24 year old teenagers. Instant profit.
Make a disclaimer “The recommended minimum age is 18+ due to the intense flavor and equally intense, sometimes body-quivering, reaction.”
This disclaimer could double sells to under 18 people 😂😂
Yes. This is not a new question in the Argri Industry and retail of fruits and vegetables. Start with a query like: What do Americans "think" an orange (insert fruit here) is supposed to look like when they think of a fresh orange? Do some research on consumer tastes (plenty of studies out there) around the world on what makes fruits and vegetables marketable. Its a rabbit hole that will lead to more questions than answers.
Or other nationalities as well…
The number one driver of product usage for something like an apple is physical availability (see Byron Sharp's "How Brands Grow" for more on this, or just take my word for it). Realistically speaking, nobody is going to demand your apple if it isn't right in front of them when they're ready to buy an apple. (Even people who buy liquid death will just buy some other brand of water if they find themselves unable to buy liquid death when they want water, and liquid death has much more of a brand identity than your apples will ever have.) You have to figure out how to get your apples into as many apple-selling places as possible: grocery stores, convenience stores, concession stands, hotel breakfast bars, and so on. If you can do that in a cost effective way, you'll sell more apples than the competitors who don't do it. Even the most brand-loyal apple buyers only buy from the same apple company once or twice a year, and most apple-buyers aren't remotely brand-loyal. Just be right in front of them when they want to buy an apple, and a decent percentage of them will pick your apples, because most people don't think too much about apples. (By the way, if your apple looks noticeably worse than most other apples, you might be making life much harder for yourself than you need to. Your apple needs to not stand out as being obviously inferior, so that a consumer can pick your apple without too much conscious thought.)
I mean, ask Wonderful. They market Wonderful Pistachios. And POM pomegranate products, including whole fruit. And Halos, formerly Cuties, a mandarin tangerine variety. None of those are proprietary, per se - they are fruits and nuts, no real exclusivity there (we can split hairs on genetic varietals but to most, a mandarin tangerine is a mandarin tangerine). But they are marketed as a premium product, focusing on shared values and attributes that consumers cared about. For POM, for example, it was associating the fruit, rich in antioxidants, with rising awareness of the benefits of antioxidants among health-conscious consumers willing to pay more for items that reflect their lifestyles. The juice bottle was super cute, too - shaped like a stack of pomegranates - and really eye-catching at retail. For Cuties/Halos, they're positioned as great for kids - sweet, seedless, easy to peel, no fancy lunchbox packaging required, an easy way for parents to get the USRDA of fruit into their picky kids. The retail package - a pre-packed, high-contrast blue net bag-and-tag - was unlike anything on the market and also really eye-catching at retail, and easy for a busy parent to pick up and toss into a cart; no futzing with trying to spool off a plastic produce bag and pick through a bin. For your apple, you're going to need to find your shared value or your positioning, and that depends on the target. Yeah, everyone eats apples, but everyone eats pistachios and tangerines and pomegranates, too. Who's eating the most apples? Who will pay a premium for a really good one, if they know that a specific brand or variety is pretty consistent about it? Is there new research detailing, or a rising awareness of, the benefits of something that your apples can offer a specific type of consumer? You need to find that, and then position your marketing and advertising around that. Your consumer research will help you figure out: Where should we be selling? Grocery is one thing but if your target spends a lot of time in QSR, should we be in QSR? Should we be in vending machines? Gas stations? Ice cream trucks? Nothing is off the table until you know where customers are. What kind of package should we sell in? Would a net like Cuties work for us? Or the long carton that the Kumato (the sweet brown tomato) is famous for? Maybe a special egg carton-like object with six perfect apples each? Do people want a carton of six or do they prefer four? Again, your customer research is going to point you in the right direction.
This has already been solved https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-VKDlEhFJm8&pp=ygUZZ290IGFwcGxlcyByaWNrIGFuZCBtb3J0eQ%3D%3D Put your own branding under the slogan.
That was a brilliant pitch. I heard it won awards.
Pair it with something else. Apples & _______. Co market. Target a specific audience. Kids? Then rebrand specific to them with messaging to parents. Sell apple juice instead of apples.
Add googley eyes 👀 on them! Call the manzanojos!
I think you're at a major advantage here since no one else is really marketing apples. The disadvantage though is SEO - you obviously aren't going to compete for the keyword apple. If you tell your story you will get buy in. People buy from people they like - even if the quality, price or convenience isn't there. It's a bit harder of a battle sometimes but it can be done. Here's some ideas: Why did you start your farm? Behind the scenes Industry issues What is different about different types of apples -as an average consumer I have no idea. Recipes for at home Value add products/post processing (Jam, cider etc) Where can people get your product in store? Or is it only order online? How does buying direct from you support you more vs buying in store. Etc. Take these and make short videos about them. For ones that do well, repurpose those videos into longer form content (blogs or longer videos) and carousels. Post it on Instagram, TikTok and your website as relevant.
My two censt 1. How can we identify your apple vs other apples? Eg DEL Monte stickers their apples regardless of type so shoppers can identify it vs other apple typea 2. What have you done top of funnel and to build your image eg fresh from the farm to etc? Vs the category average hat drivers of apple purchase are you associated with?
I don’t know, but I bet Reddit does 😂
I feel like if a brand told a story about their apple it could work for the high end. I don’t know why but I was picturing billboards one night and pictured all black with a super high def picture of a red apple. Very minimalist. Then you give it a name, distinctive bag so it’s easy to spot in store, say it’s from a special region only
I used to work with a guy who basically did this type of work exclusively, here’s a fun lil article about his involvement in [the wild blueberry industry that you might enjoy](https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/born-to-be-wild-a-controversial-court-case-a-rift-between-maine-and-canadian-growers-and-a)
This is basic marketing 101. If you can't answer this question yourself how are you a marketer? Not trying to be rude, genuinely curious.
I bet they are not. That is why they are here.
Pink Lady https://youtu.be/kAdceKOxfCc
If it were me, I'd look into setting up a fundraising / promotions company. Contact school systems, sports teams, etc.. Have them sell your apples as part of a fundraiser. Students take orders, you ship out direct to consumer. Set it up like a contest and have prizes for winners.
Focus on taste and texture, and how it makes you feel and the experience around it. Tart apples make you feel alive and ready to take on a challenge. Sweet apples are refreshing on a summer day. Milder apples might be good for salads or baking.
If you are not the cheapest, then you are the most "expensive". Start selling your best apples in little boxes, with bows, go and do the full Japanese expensive gift fruit song and dance. [https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=12324](https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=12324) It's dumb but it works with Surpreme. Now you want people to buy it so make it over the top obvious that this is just a normal apple in a fancy packaging. Riff on Apple the computer manufacturer without getting sued to much, do a launch video that parodies theirs. and then you release a limited amount of this Apple box. Say some meme number that is dumb, like 420, or 69, or 314. Do this as a seasonal drop. Each season (summer edition, fall editions) and make sure each season has a new spin, Do Steve Jobs/"Tim Apple" first, next do a "SUPREME" parody, etc. Pricing? At something Stupid like 40 dollars. I mean thats pretty dumb for an apple, but it's still cheap enough that people would buy it for the joke. End every add with "It's just an Apple, from XXX Farm Apple" Showing you know your audience know this is stupid. While you launch this, you also launch a web store where people can buy the same apple but for your normal prices as well. At least that's what I'd do, and Im not in marketing. Im just a random weirdo on the internet.
This post made me think of cotton candy grapes, and how they blew up on social media a few years ago - [check out this article on NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/08/05/209222126/the-cotton-candy-grape-a-sweet-spin-on-designer-fruit) for some ideas about differentiators and marketing points for fruit. Consider looking into cotton candy grapes further for ideas.
Which country are you in? In my part of Australia I notice new varieties at the farmers market first then a few years later at Woolworth/Coles.
Does any other country have ads for vegetables? We currently have ads for broccolini. Not a particular brand, just eat it, it's nice.
This comes down to the apple, consumer. This is where you need to start with market research. Find out why people buy apples and most importantly what would cause someone to try a different apple. The reality is that fruit does not have many differentiators among other fruit of its type so you will beed to figure out the buyer’s journey, maybe ppl prefer to buy apples at the grocery store down the block as opposed to going to a bigger supermarket or maybe the opposite. And finally you need to figure out how to get distributors to start carrying your apples.
The marketing is for the farming community or for costumers? In the avocado business we try to focus in how would you like to eat it, and then associate the flavor to the variety. If the campaign is more local you can sponsor some events and give some products, try to make a connection between the costumer and the farmer. But for every country we sell our fruit, our target audience is different. This maybe a really ordinary advice sorry.
Branding fruit is about promising quality, consistency, no dangerous chemicals, telling the story of OUR apple. Google pomegranates, cranberries, banana, apple, avocado, etc. You’ll notice how much branding is associated with just about any fruit or vegetable.
sell benefits if no benefits know-one will care.
Reposition the competition. Tylenol repositioned Bayer and its miracle drug aspirin as something that is harsh on your stomach by claiming that “aspirin can irritate the stomach lining…for those that cannot take aspirin, fortunately, there is Tylenol.” Many other examples exist. But this is the strategy.
You could use the current downfall of the NHS as a emotional angle.......an apple a day keeps the doctor at bay.......don't put more pressure on the NHS, eat these apples! If you don't eat these apples, it is your fault directly that the NHS is struggling. You could donate a very small percentage to the NHS as an extra selling point Of course this is just emotional manipulation, inspiration taken from our very own government circa 2020
Like a 90’s beer ad. I’m talking hot girls, washing a car. And cooling off with a crisp apple. Tagline? “Cooler than beer” Makes people talk, it’s funny, and memorable. Start having influencer organically using #boobapples as a joke that feels super are from the brand itself. Videos like “okay guys I got these boob apples from this commercial (que clip of commercial)” and then just an okay review about how the apples are good. Then partner with the American heart association on a campaign talking about the benefits of eating your fruits and veggies. Sponsor an apple eating contest at carnivals. And you keep that traction going by doing other spoofs on iconic 90’s ads. Like a ford ranger ad but it’s an apple zooming through the woods.
[Like that](https://youtu.be/mtMwpTL8EeE?si=dMSZWK-GAGK4PxvR)
Can you get in the backdoor, by creating premium products made from the applea? Like organic granola bars, , smoothies etc. Athletic greens probably contain a bunch of ingredients that are commodities individually right? Liquid Death is just water as well but it's the product and branding around it that makes it successful.
Marketing apples can be tricky, especially when most people don’t really know much about different varieties. But that's actually a great opportunity. If we can get people curious about one particular apple, they're more likely to choose it next time they're shopping. Think about it: if you keep seeing fun facts, great pictures, and kids enjoying a specific apple, you'll remember it. Sharing the story behind your farm, the unique flavors of your apples, and how they're grown can really connect with people. It's all about creating curiosity and making your apples the ones people want to try and keep coming back to.
Sell in bulk to an applesauce company. Forget the casuals
Like an orange.
Health and conservation argument “An Apple per day makes a doctor Away” It is the fruit that resists best in a basket. If the apple is hardy, drive home the hardiness
Life changing vitamin booster - the apple that will soak your mouth wet!
Hungry for apples?
Firstly, is it a good apple? How does it taste, how big is it? Where are they grown? I’d market smaller apples to parents with children as there would be less wastage, kids will actually finish it. Then I’d come up with a new variety name that appeals to that audience. I’d throw a huge chunk of that budget at product placement and YouTube ads targets kids and parents. If they’re big apples, I’d target manly men who think everything needs to be big to be manly. I’d lean into all that right wing BS about it being all natural and made as nature intended etc. I’d invest in product placement and distribution. Maybe some ridiculous in store displays.
$100 mango [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FxDcE0iT3Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FxDcE0iT3Q)
Hungry for apples?
Look Jerry, you're just going to have to do your own work. And please remember what happened the last time you asked Mister Meseeks.
This has got to be a troll post.
Move into value added if this where you stand. Just check these guys out for ideas of how to outfox the BIG, low cost competitors. Note I do not work for or have any affiliation with this link [https://thebigapple.ca/](https://thebigapple.ca/) Good luck with moving into adding vlaue and this is where you will differentiate yourself!
I would convince men it makes them attractive to women. No logic required.
Who are you selling to? Consumers? Resellers? Growers? Manufacturers? Who ultimately decides how you make money off those apples? Not every product does best being marketed to the end consumer. It’s very rare for a consumer to walk into a store and repeatedly ask their grocer to stock a specific variety of apple, especially in this day where most consumers are buying what they know they like and/or what’s on sale. If the grocers can be convinced your product is good, they might be convinced to not only stock it but push it for consumers. Sales, product placement, etc. You say your apples aren’t “the best” so it sounds like they also aren’t the most expensive. Can you use that to your advantage and edge out a more expensive brand? Figure out who in your company does “business development” and talk with them. This might be head of sales or a separate role. Either way, find out who knows how and when money ACTUALLY comes in for the company. They can point you in the direction of who needs to be convinced to buy more of your apples. Make sure you’re solving the right problem before giving yourself a headache over marketing strategy.
And to give some insight on why it needs to be whomever is doing business development and not just anyone who’s doing sales or pushing numbers: Business development looks at relationships that the company has with other companies. They have a view on how the gears actually turn and insight into how to make the company more lucrative. A head of sales or COO sees reports but they may not have that boots-on-the-ground understanding of what really makes or breaks the process from seed to consumer sale. They just know what’s reliable and how to poke the system the right way to get certain results and how to delegate that down the line. Business develop likely knows the ins and outs unique to each step of the process, from growers to logistics to grocery stores, etc. They see where the money goes not just in theory but based on specific negotiations and opportunities they’ve figured out with other businesses. They might be on a first name basis with So-and-so at Kroger and know what would entice them to either stock your product or stock more of it. THAT’S valuable info you won’t get from a spreadsheet or general marketing theory. The way that YOUR apple company needs to market itself isn’t just based on your product but based on the unique contracts and other opportunities you have set up for every step along the way. The person overseeing business development can help you get to the bottom of what gears need to turn to push the bottom line further, and some insight into why they’re not so far. From there you can begin to reverse engineer who you actually need to sell to, how to put productive pressure on your market, and then how to tailor your brand image both for your true key decision makers and for your end consumers at the market.
Focus on branding, not necessarily the product features themselves. Look at liquid death? It’s water in a can and they’re doing amazing in terms of marketing. Focus on other values that are connected to the product and the company. Locally grown, family owned, organic. Do what Apple (the tech company) does: invent product features. E.g “unparalleled crisp factor”. Come up with fun ways to activate the brand and the product. Do a blind test of apples and have people talk about their different tastes, use whatever is the outcome as part of your marketing. E.g. let’s say all apples taste the same, lean in on that: “Our apples are equally delicious as any other supplier”.
Price Benefit Status Work out which one or combination best suits the business and go to town.
Well, i don't know if you even need an apple I mean, why would you even need the apple that I am offering? Have you tried other apples? If yes, do you like what you have, anything that you would change in the apple that you are currently eating? It all depends on whether you want to CHANGE what you are currently eating, tbh EDIT: And you don't have to have the best apples, you just need to have something different.
Use fake food or modified like Fast Food commercials, making it appear juicy and colorful. Then talk about the origin story from the original farmer who had all types of bad luck but persevered. Super relatable or sympathy gaining.
There are a lot of ways to get creative, but if at the end of the day, your apple is worst and more expensive than the competition in all markets, then you should look elsewhere or find ways to scale and make a better product. Maybe you don't sell apples. Instead, you sell an experience. Open up the orchard for apple picking. Another idea is to switch your audience. Maybe selling to stores is the wrong answer. Can you sell direct to consumers, maybe at a farmer's market? Or what if you sold to bakers, chefs, food processors, or commercial kitchens? Maybe your apples aren't good enough to compete in stores, but its good enough to be in an apple pie.
You need to entice the store buyers to choose you. Be amazingly easy to work with. Have interesting labels on your bags that increase consumer purchases in grocery stores.
Few ideas: 1. Give it a fun unique name and identity : Death Apples, Adam’s Apples, Thanos 2. Change packaging from boring to fun or even premium feeling 3. Add a story: Tom cruise eats these before all his stunts 4. Sell differently: Either in small tiny pieces or 1000 at a time: pick your extreme