PEAR BUREAU NORTHWEST PARTNERS WITH 20th CENTURY FOX TO PROMOTE USA PEARS IN CONJUNCTION WITH RELEASE OF "MARMADUKE, VIVE A LO GRANDE" MOVIE IN MEXICO
PORTLAND, Ore. – May 20, 2010 – The Pear Bureau is partnering with 20th Century Fox in an innovative joint promotion with a new family-friendly feature film that will release in Mexico this summer: Marmaduke, Vive a lo Grande (translation: "live life to the fullest").
20th Century Fox approached the Pear Bureau's marketing representatives in February after being impressed by the creative promotional billboards for USA Pears they saw in Mexico City. Spotting an opportunity to reach the same families that the innovative USA Pear promotions target, they offered the Pear Bureau use of the Marmaduke image in upcoming in-store promotions as part of their strategy to promote the movie to Mexican consumers.
The Pear Bureau's promotion with Marmaduke is being conducted during May and June with HEB, Soriana, Smart, Comercial Mexicana, and Chedruari with 90 stores participating for a total of 240 promotion days. The promotion will include sampling of ripe USA Pears and interactive POS materials that will allow children to have their picture taken with a cardboard version of Marmaduke.
Consumers purchasing a minimum 2 kg of USA Pears will receive a scratch-and-win ticket for prizes that include the iPod Touch, iPod Nano, movie tickets, and Frisbees. The slogan will be "Disfruta a lo Grande" (translation: "Enjoy the big things in life") and the Pear Bureau will promote bigger, "grande" size pears to retailers and consumers.
Jeff Correa, international marketing director at Pear Bureau Northwest notes that “the timing of this promotion is perfect. It will help us lock down retailer commitment with USA Pears during the most competitive time of the year when there are increasing volumes of Argentinean and Chilean pears in the Mexican market.” He added, “this partnership with 20th Century Fox and the Marmaduke movie gives USA Pears a unique promotional opportunity for the participating retailers. Hopefully the success of this program will lead to future promotional opportunities with 20th Century Fox in Mexico.”
The Pear Bureau will raise awareness of the in-store promotion via its Spanish-language consumer site at www.perasusa.com – which will soon launch a completely redesigned look and feel to match the existing US site at www.usapears.org – and the Kid's Club website in Mexico, www.clubdeperas.com.
About Pear Bureau Northwest
The Pear Bureau Northwest is a nonprofit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh USA Pears grown in Washington and Oregon. The association represents nearly 1,600 growers who grow 84 percent of the nation’s fresh pear crop, and develops national and international markets for Northwest pear distribution. For more information, visit www.usapears.org.
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Media Contact:
Cristie Mather, Director of Communications
Pear Bureau Northwest
(503) 652-9720
cmather@usapears.com
Pear Bureau Northwest prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, political beliefs, or disability. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the Pear Bureau at (503) 652-9720.