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THE ALMOND BOARD
New and Proven Tactics to Leverage Almonds Among Traditions in India Since the early 2000s, the Almond Board of California (ABC) has been strategically navigating the Indian market to promote almond consumption. Over the last decade, ABC has extended and intensified its reach, targeting various segments of the Indian population and maximizing the health attributes of almonds in the region. In 2020, India was the number one export market for California almonds — more than doubling over a five-year period and exceeding 40 million pounds — and proved the potential of the market. This fall, ABC took those efforts even further by leveraging the region’s most popular sport, cricket, and ingraining almonds with old traditions. Riding the Cricket Wave Cricket is not just a pastime in India: it’s a cultural phenomenon that unites the entire nation. “Cricket is the number one sport in India and while I may call it a sport, that’s really cutting it short. It is more like a religion,” said Sudarshan Mazumdar, ABC’s consultant for the India market. As the International Cricket Council Men’s Cricket World Cup — hosted in India for the first time since 2011 — loomed on the horizon, ABC saw an opportunity to integrate almonds into the popular sport. The “Energy Leading to Success” messaging naturally aligned with the sport’s enthusiasm and energy. ABC outdoor advertising campaigns were prominent in major cities like Mumbai and Delhi, where cricket fervor runs high, as does international trade. ABC also launched television campaigns promoting almonds as a source of energy and success around the game of cricket. “The television campaign is running across the country, which again is talking about energy leading to success. It’s definitely a different target for us, but it’s also another way in which we are driving almond consumption,” Mazumdar said. ABC’s presence in the cricket world is poised to create a new wave of almond enthusiasts across the large country.
The Gift of Good Health Diwali, a prominent Indian festival celebrated in the fall, involves exchanging dry food boxes as gifts to wish loved ones good health and prosperity. Almonds have found a special place in these festive gift boxes. ABC’s television campaigns over the last few years have reinforced almonds as a symbol of well-being during Diwali, securing the almond’s position in a time-honored tradition. To drive the gifting of almonds even more, ABC also expanded its presence this year during Raksha Bandhan, a summer festival where brothers promise to protect their sisters in return for a heartfelt wish. “In turn, the brother promises to protect the sister against all evil, and because of his appreciation of her wishes, he hands over a gift to her,” explained Mazumdar.
ABC’s new marketing campaign in India combines the consumer’s love of cricket and current “Tomorrow Begins Today” messaging in the region. Photo credit: Almond Board of California
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