2008 Almond Almanac - Almond Board of California

Global Marketing StrategyIn 2008, the Almond Board began implementationof the Global Strategic Marketing Framework thatresulted from the 2007 Global Demand Analysis.Supported by the industry’s legacy of research-based outreach inthe areas of target-audience understanding, nutrition science, andtechnical knowledge, the Global Strategic Marketing Frameworkfocuses on the geographies with the highest potential for demandgrowth (North America and the European Union, India, China,Japan, Korea, and Taiwan), three principal categories of almondusage representing three-quarters of global new almond productintroductions in consumer packaged goods (confectionery, bakery/patisserie, and snacking), and health issues that are commonto our priority geographies (dietary guidelines, nutrition-basedlegislation, and “lifestyle” diseases, such as heart disease,diabetes, and obesity). Reputation Management—the processof defining and proactively managing the industry’s image as6perceived through the eyes of all stakeholders—serves asthe capstone of the Global Strategic Marketing Framework.The Almond Board’s marketing programs provide a constantstream of communications that educate and inform consumers,manufacturers, foodservice operators, and health professionalsabout the nutritional benefits and versatility of product usage—building the case for almonds as an essential part of the daily diet.As one of California’s leading agricultural products, issues suchas food safety, environmental stewardship, and global commerceare not only more visible to consumers and customers, but alsoplay an increasingly prominent role in purchasing decisions. Asa result, the Almond Board has taken a more proactive stanceon Reputation Management, anticipating potential threats to theindustry’s integrity. For example, as the seasonally first and largestcrop to require honeybees for pollination, the California Almondindustry has attracted global media attention since the onset ofColony Collapse Disorder in 2006. In anticipation of continuedmedia and consumer interest in the health of honeybees, in early2008 the Almond Board activated a broad-based communicationsplan, tapping growers, beekeepers, researchers, and independentexperts as spokespeople to deliver key messages about theindustry’s commitment to the health of the honeybee population.The resulting media coverage during bloom reflected a balancedpicture of the California Almond industry as a dedicated stewardof our vital natural resources.In conjunction with the Board’s five-year strategic direction tobecome A Crop of Choice and The Nut of Choice, the AlmondBoard undertook a project to define and articulate the desiredreputation and global image of the California Almond industry. Thenine-month project spanned the globe, soliciting our stakeholderaudiences to provide input on the qualities and attributes thatmake California Almonds unique, desirable, and essential. In early2009, the Almond Board’s communications will begin to reflect astronger, more consistent, and relevant global image, an imagethat will set the visual and verbal tone of California Almonds asa forward-looking leader in providing a sustainable, wholesome,functional food that is sought after by the world’s consumers.