THE CHALLENGE

Introduce new CPG line, Sparkling Essence, as a guilt-free bubbly water choice to consumers and influentials in the already noisy and crowded beverage product space.

THE SOLUTION

To leverage seasonal opportunities with the May 2010 product launch, FIG first targeted short-lead media and summer sampling opportunities including celebrity parties, fitness retreats and festivals. To get the product in the hands of discerning consumers, FIG initiated reader contests through top bloggers and supplied generous amounts of product to targeted events. The second wave of outreach kicked off in winter 2010 to long-lead magazines resulting in additional influential outlets claiming Sparkling Essence as their new favorite.

FIG focused on the timely consumer demand for flavored organic beverages without calories or sugar.

REFRESHING RESULTS

Total impressions: more than 49 million.

FIG’s launch of Sparking Essence garnered attention from numerous print, online and broadcast outlets. Additionally, FIG positioned the product at key events where Sparkling Essence became the beverage of choice.

Highlights include:

• Recognized in FITNESS magazine’s “4th Annual Healthy Food Awards” coverage and national Satellite Media Tour.
• Awarded Health magazine’s “America’s Healthiest Buys” accolade for 2010.
• Good Morning America Health picked Sparkling Essence for its top trends.
• Appeared in In-Style magazine’s “Guilt-free ice cold sodas” feature.
• Reviewed on the front page of epicurious.com.
• Included on Womenshealthmag.com’s “Stuff We Love” section.
• Noted as a “Twist on Water” in Today’s Dietician.
• Yoga magazine called the product “Sparkling Goodness.”
• Included on Health.com’s “Foodie Friday” picks.
• Served at celebrity events such as Denise Richards’ and Tiffany Amber Thiesen’s birthday parties and at several LA Buzz Girls events.

THE CHALLANGE

To educate communities in a 5-state region on the retailer’s “Health Starts Here” healthy-eating program while positioning the company as a leader in nutritional expertise and as a dynamic and accessible resource to the community.

THE FRESH IDEA

FIG quickly recognized that customized outreach to media would be essential; even though the Rocky Mt. region is one of Whole Foods Market’s largest with 27 stores. Strategically, we determined education to be the top priority. We developed comprehensive background materials and provided to the media. We then conducted targeted media training with Whole Foods Market spokespersons including in-depth coaching before each media interview. The tailored approach offered media unique angles to easily communicate a complex program. Our media tool box included in-store tours with nutritionists, TV cooking segments, healthy recipes, community events and partners, and case studies/testimonials from employees who embraced the alternative health care plan.

REFRESHING RESULTS

Total impressions: 3,121,729

By targeting mainstream audiences in multiple metro markets, we expanded the company’s reach to new shoppers and provided customers with easily understood health offerings. Television segments and print coverage provided broad geographic and demographic reach for the retailer.

Highlights include:

• KMGH-TV, Denver “Boulder Woman Says Alternative Health Plan Works: Whole Foods Encourages Healthy Choices, Untraditional Health Care,” TV segment and online
• KMGH-TV, Denver ”Identifying Healthiest Foods Can Be Easy: Whole Foods Offers ‘Health Starts Here' Program”, TV segment and online
• WDAF-TV, Kansas City, cooking segment with Health Starts Here recipes, TV segment and online
• KUTV-TV, Salt Lake City, cooking segment with Health Starts Here recipes, TV segment
• ABC4 TV, Salt Lake City, cooking segment with Health Starts Here recipes, TV segment and online
• Albuquerque Journal, “Health Conscious Boomers Changing Habits”, print

THE CHALLENGE

Distill the complexities of plastic clamshell packaging into understandable and inspiring news bites for media. Specifically, FIG endeavored to focus the spotlight on Earthbound Farm as an industry leader with its groundbreaking initiative to become the first U.S. produce company to switch to 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PCR PET) plastic for its clamshell-style packaging.

THE CAMPAIGN

FIG’s strategy was to connect the dots in a granular way for consumers between organic production, the packaging process and preserving the environment via energy and water conservation and reducing landfill waste. The campaign focused on education and centered on Earthbound Farm’s progressive belief that organic alone is not enough for today’s eco-conscious companies. We armed the media with facts and visuals about the benefits of PCR PET packaging. Our client generously educated numerous media on PCR PET and offered to share its insights with the produce industry, encouraging even the competition to make the switch.

Intensive research and fact-gathering was the first task to support the environmental benefits. We then identified and gathered industry and environmental experts who could voice their support of the initiative, and confirmed a beneficial ally in the Sustainable Packaging Coalition as third-party expert.

REFRESHING RESULTS

Total impressions: over 39 million.

Earthbound Farm’s ground-breaking initiative was highlighted in 64 print and web publications, with an exclusive story with product photo breaking in USA Today. Additionally, Earthbound Farm won Silver in the Energy and Sustainability category of the 2010 Edison Best New Product Award for its 100 percent PCR PET plastic clamshell packaging.

Highlights include:

• USA Today, “2 food companies go all-out with recycling: Earthbound, Naked Juice switching…”
• ABCNews.com, “Earthbound Farm, Naked Juice to use 100% recycled plastic”
• Environmental Leader, “Earthbound Farm, Naked Juice Jump Into PCR PET”
• Organic Processing, “Earthbound Farm Announces Industry-First Switch to 100 percent PCR PET”
• Treehugger.com “Earthbound Farm wins Edison Innovation Award”

THE CHALLENGE

Take a change agent’s voice and vision to a national audience and create a platform for real change in healthier school food.

THE FRESH IDEA

Optimize a new partnership by raising awareness and funds. Chef Cooper partnered with Whole Foods Market Inc. in 2009, for its “School Food Revolution” campaign. WFM shoppers donated to Cooper’s nonprofit F3 Foundation to fund a free educational toolkit for all lunch ladies, the lunchbox.org. Cooper also served as national spokesperson for WFM creating a win-win for the retailer and for school lunch advocates.

The first campaign was such a success that WFM and Cooper partnered again in 2010 for ‘The Salad Bar Project’. The truly fresh idea was to take Cooper’s vision for healthier school food and make it tangible, by raising funds for complete healthy salad bar kits for schools. This program is now folded into a new coalition, endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama, called “Let’s Move Salad Bars To Schools,” with a vision for 6,000 salad bars in three years.

REFRESHING RESULTS

Total impressions: over 160 million

In a collaborative effort with FIG, Chef Ann Cooper, Whole Foods Market and their agency, the campaign was able to achieve top level media exposure as well as significant funding for the F3 Foundation.

Highlights include:

• More than 50 million media impressions in 2009 top media outlets include:
  The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, Newsweek, CNN and Reuters.
• More than 116 million media impressions in 2010, top media outlets include:
  The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, AOL Health and Grist.com.
• More than $750,000 dollars was raised by Whole Foods Market shoppers in 2009 to fund lunchbox.org.
• $1.4 million raised in 2010 to help fund real change in healthier school food. This translates to 544 healthy salad bar kits for schools across the country.

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Boyer Photography

THE CHALLENGE

Achieve positive national media coverage that benefits the reputation of Colorado Wine.

THE FRESH IDEA

“Bring ‘em to the mountain.” FIG chose to plan tours to bring the media to our diverse Colorado wine country in order to garner attention for what some might not believe to be true: Colorado is not only a growing, but a beautiful state of wine. From our inaugural year with the Colorado Wine Board, FIG launched, managed and co-hosted media tours that allowed journalists from across the country to taste and experience Colorado wine at the source. Key to these tours was partnering with key alliances throughout the state including the Governor’s office and convention and visitors bureaus in each wine region. Also key was tailoring itineraries to the journalist’s individual story interests and angles, thus never taking a cookie cutter approach to any tour.

REFRESHING RESULTS

Total impressions: more than 23.9 million

Top level media, who attended either group or individually-organized tours, positively embraced Colorado as an emerging wine state, resulting in an increased awareness of the Colorado wine country on a national level.

Highlights include:

• The New York Times, Travel Section, “Biking the Colorado’s Wine Country” feature story
• USA Today: “10 great places for local wine”
• Sunset Magazine, “Weekend Guide to Grand Valley”
• Wine Enthusiast Magazine, “…proves Colorado’s slopes are good for more than skis.”
• Sunset Magazine, “Wonder Where the Next Wine Country will be? Welcome to Colorado”

THE CHALLENGE

How to cut through information overload at trade shows and create sustainable relationships for clients and media that pay dividends long after the show closes.

THE FRESH IDEA

Create a magnetic, educational event that becomes a positive ritual for clients and the media.

THE TACTIC

FIG launched its FIG Media Breakfast in 2006, after years of managing press briefings for Natural Products Expo West. We served up organic food and some candid, spicy speakers. We finished with a no holds barred Q & A session and a post-show group mailing of new products to each media guest. Now it is a well honed Expo tradition. FIG produces and hosts this event annually on behalf of our clients the Friday of Natural Products Expo West. In 2011 we're moving up from breakfast, and will host the 6th Annual FIG Media Lunch featuring guest speakers Chef Ann Cooper, Dr. Alan Greene and Stonyfield Yogurt CEO and co-founder, Gary Hirshberg.

We continue to build relationships for our clients on the show floor. Through guided, one-on-one media tours tailored to each journalist's interests, FIG helps clients share relevant news, trends and products at their booths for maximum impact. It is classic FIG: Be real. Be a resource. Be relevant. And wear comfortable shoes.

THE RESULT

Each FIG Media Breakfast has enjoyed 25 to 30 media guests. Our show floor media tours are regularly packed with 15+ journalists ready to learn more about the organic and natural products industry.

Media Outlets FIG has hosted at our event and on tours include, but are not limited to: KABC-TV, NY Times, OC Register, LA Times, San Diego Union Tribune, People, Cooking Light, Eating Well, Family Circle, Entrepreneur, Delicious Living, Body&Soul, Self, Bon Appétit, NPR's "The Future of Good",  Natural Foods Merchandiser, Prevention, Sunset, Treehugger, Fit Pregnancy, Natural Solutions, First for Women, Rodale.com, Supermarket News, Sustainable Food News, Better Nutrition and MSNBC.