HOT FROM THE POT

From the HARVESTER, November 1970

Florida Sweet Corn Advisory Committee is stepping up advertising in a research project to determine the effects of intensified promotion.

Test market chosen for the project is Atlanta, which ranks sixth in order of unloads of sweet corn at this time of the year. Atlanta was chosen because of its isolation from other major cities and its relatively limited number of other media, and also because of the volume presently being handled, percentage results can be more easily obtained.

To be included in the project will be full-color advertisements in the Atlanta Constitution-Journal; color television announcement on three leading stations, and radio commercials on six top-rated stations.

In the fall of 1970, black and white newspaper ads featuring the “Hot from the Pot” theme ran in 40 newspapers in 12 markets. Later that year, the Florida Sweet Corn Advisory Committee ran color ads and TV and radio commercials in Atlanta to determine the effects of intensified promotions.

Intensive merchandising efforts are being made by representatives of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and contract representatives. The food publicity program is also being intensified and merchandising contacts are being made with trade contacts.

The general advertising program in effect for several weeks is continuing in 40 newspapers in 12 markets. These are located generally east of the Mississippi River, but do include other areas.

Excellent results are being experienced with the food publicity program, particularly in the use of color photographs. The Miami Herald is scheduled to carry a color feature on November 23, which is the Thanksgiving food section that week.

Full color point-of-purchase material available for supermarket display has been well received. The design is based on use of fresh corn as a cold weather dish because it stays hot longer than most vegetables.

Sweet corn growers of Florida have had unfavorable marketing conditions due to many factors. Some feel a basic cause has been over-production caused by heavy plantings and unusually favorable growing conditions. These factors coupled with a lack of interest by buyers has caused implementation of flow-to-market orders.

The producers have had the frustration of seeing the finest quality of fall corn they have ever produced suffering from a very sluggish market.