Now that we have a full year of content posted at The Core, we’re able to truly gauge what you liked (or didn’t like) with regard to topics.  How do we monitor this?  Simple analytics.

As it turns out, throughout the year, in addition to a little humor and style, our most popular posts in The Core were consistently about you, our readers.  When we wrote about “What Blew Us Away” following big tradeshow events in July and October, you visited in droves, commented to us via The Core, and emailed to give us your thoughts and praises.  We love the engagement!  Keep it coming in 2010!

With one final hoo-rah as the year draws to a close, we’ve developed a Best of 2009 list incorporating things about YOU that worked and deserve recognition!

Best Tradeshow Booth
Hands down the best tradeshow booth of the year was the Temple-Inland booth (2nd Place in Best of Show at PMA Fresh Summit) featuring bi-lingual, value based messages that directly spoke to target audiences.  Tradeshow mastery.

Best in Packaging
Since we believe produce packaging is one of the most under-utilized forms of marketing in our industry, we are always excited to see a company go the extra mile.  We applaud Stemilt for making a consistent effort in this area and congratulate them for winning the 2009 PMA Impact Award for Marketing Messaging and Content.

Products We Love
Despite the economic downturn of 2009, product innovation was alive and well.  In addition to this, marketing dollars were spent to create new packages and promotions to support our industry’s latest and greatest. With so many to choose from, we’ve picked our top five faves to highlight here:

Dole Bagged Salads
We absolutely love Dole’s new bagged salad line and especially appreciate the marketing effort that has been put forth to promote the products.  In addition to television ads and a brand new website, Dole also has a page on Facebook and Twitter that is quickly gaining in popularity for the Dole Salad Guide.

Tanimura & Antle Peri-Peri Peppadrops
We not only appreciate their taste, but love the fact that Tanimura & Antle has launched a product that addresses a culinary trend.  These sweet peppers are a staple in Spanish cuisine.  With the growing popularity of tapas in the U.S., this emerging culinary trend is sure to take off.

Mission Produce Guacamole
One bite of Mission’s latest packaged guacamole and we were sold.  This tasty and fresh guacamole is not only the best packaged guac we’ve ever eaten, it’s almost as good as homemade!

ZESPRI Individually Wrapped Kiwi Fruit
This winner of the PMA Impact Award for Marketing Design boasts an individually wrapped kiwi fruit packed with an easy to use hybrid of a spoon and a knife, or “Spife,” that scoops the fruit out of the skin for a nice and neat sweet treat!

Frieda’s Pomegranate Arils
Superfood gone convenient, we love Frieda’s pomegranate seeds.  From salads to topping entrées, these crunchy arils add that perfect sweetness to your breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We are thrilled that Frieda’s has done the work for us by removing the seeds from pomegranates and placing them into an oh-so- convenient 5.3-ounce tub.

Fave Advertising Campaign
Everyone is familiar with the Ocean Spray commercials where the two guys are waist deep in cranberries.  This holiday season, Ocean Spray has launched a new advertising campaign naming cranberries as, “The unofficial official fruit of the holidays.”  Watch the commercial.  It is too funny.

Tweet Envy
While we’d like to give ourselves all of the credit here with our focus to build a community on Twitter with @thecoreblog, we’ll turn the attention back to you, the reader.  Whole Foods Market, a.k.a. @wholefoods, has taken “tweeting” to new heights and built a community of nearly 1.7M followers!  Is Whole Foods one of your customers?  Have you considered tapping into their mass following on Twitter?  Call us.  We can help.

Facebook Face Time
Not only is he a cheerful mascot for the National Mango Board, he is developing quite a presence on Facebook. That’s right – Jango Mango.  This fan page is chock full of information including how-to videos, tasty recipes and Jango Mango’s travel adventures. Bravo, National Mango Board.  We can’t wait to see what he’s up to in 2010!

Market Segment Breakthrough
We love Del Monte’s vending machines featuring fruit and veggie snack packs! Vending machines are typically known for pumping out chips and candy like there’s no tomorrow so we’re applauding Del Monte for taking the leap and giving people the kind of food that they should be eating in a convenient vending format.  Way to keep it FRESH!

Best Networking Opportunity
Believe it or not, Facebook and Twitter have become our favorite forms of networking in 2009.  With these new social media websites, your friends and industry colleagues are no further than a click away and give you a resource and platform to communicate about your latest happenings with your own page and voice.  Don’t wait for industry events, connect now!

Best Event with a Purpose
For seasoned produce industry event goers, this one will come as no surprise.  Year after year the United Washington Public Policy Conference provides the fresh produce industry with the opportunity to unite and become one voice with our congressional leaders in our nation’s Capitol.

Best New Industry Publication
Owner Robert Lambert is breathing new life into fresh produce news delivery by going viral and digital with AndNowUKnow.com.  This weekly e-newsletter highlights the latest news in video format that is both educational and entertaining to watch.  And if you miss a week, you can search for AndNowUKnow on YouTube to catch archived videos.

Funtastic New Event
The skeptics were silenced with the all-around success of PMA FIT’s Live FIT 5K Fun Run at PMA Fresh Summit 2009.  Not only did this event bring out team spirit of participants, it also raised nearly $30,000 to support student outreach, including develpment of career information on the PMA FIT website.

Greatness in Giving Back
Members of the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association pulled together and donated an amazing 1.3M pounds of produce to the Houston Food Bank.  Way to go, Houston!

Biggest Website Crush
Hands down, our favorite website in the fresh food space belongs to Odwalla.  This creatively inspiring website takes visitors through a series of illustrations and flash artwork that entertains, engages, and makes them want to learn more about their products.

Most Memorable Moment
We’ll never forget the moment that Condoleezza Rice took the stage at the Fresh Perspectives Women’s event at PMA Fresh Summit.  She was so engaging and friendly, we felt as if we’d just had brunch with a dear friend.  Congrats to Eboni Wall at PMA for securing such an inspiring speaker.

Biggest Marketing Inspiration
Sometimes people ask us about the companies and individuals that inspire us here at The Core.  While we take inspiration from all of the companies in the fresh produce industry who strive for marketing excellence, we especially find brilliance from Seth Godin, a marketing genius from NYC.

What is on your Best of 2009 list?  We’re all ears.

Posted by:  The DMA Solutions Team

Tags: Advertising, AndNowUKnow, best practices, Blogging, Condoleezza Rice, Culture, Facebook, Impact Awards, Inspiration, Leadership, Marketing, Messaging, PMA Fresh Summit, promotion, Seth Godin, trade show, Twitter

Posted Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 2:38 pm and is filed under Advertising, All, Blogging, Culture, Inspiration, Leadership, Marketing, Messaging, Networking, PMA, Packaging, Philanthropy, Promotions, Social Media, Sponsorships, Tradeshows & Events, Trends, UFPA, Websites.