Avocados From Mexico Readies College Football Playoff Activations
Avocados From Mexico (AFM) has partnered with the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the second year in a row as the official avocado brand of the championship event.
Last year’s partnership marked the first time a produce brand joined forces with the CFP, according to a media release at the time. This year, AFM is once again offering savings and special incentives at local stores through its new and bigger “Always a Good Play” campaign.
The CFP is expanding from four to 12 teams for the 2024-25 postseason, and increasing from three playoff games to 11, after the 1,500-plus games during the college football regular season. For AFM, this means more occasions for avocados recipes, the brand said in a new statement, particularly as one-third of football fans say guacamole is their favorite game day snack, according to consumer intelligence platform Quantilope.
AFM’s expansive campaign will target college football fans through in-store promotional programs, consumer savings, thematic packaging and digital engagement.
Retail activations will include:
- New, thematic packaging: AFM is deploying bright, themed bins that stock larger bags of avocados and encourage bulk purchasing as the brand says “80% of the avocado business is based on bulk.”
- Incentives and giveaways: The themed bins will also dangle a chance to win free avocados through a “buy four, get one free” deal as well as a trip to the national championship game, Jan. 20 in Atlanta. Shoppers can enter the sweeps by scanning a QR code depicted on the bins.
- Shopper savings: When shoppers buy a bag of AFM, they can earn an instant $1.50 cash back offer by uploading a photo of their receipts via the QR code on bags and in-store displays. The brand is also running a national repeat purchase offer, where consumers can earn free avocados when they purchase them frequently.
- Digital toolkit for stores: This toolkit provides retailers with all the campaign assets needed to reach consumers online, including logos, high-resolution imagery and social posts.
Through its bag and bulk options, AFM “hopes to impact shopping behavior during this season and beyond, incentivizing consumers with free goods when they purchase in multiples,” per the statement.
Additionally, the Always a Good Play campaign will come to life in new ways this season as AFM begins its first school-specific sponsorship with University of Georgia athletics, secured through Learfield's Sports Marketing. The brand has also expanded its Disney college football partnership, as the presenting sponsor of the ESPN Noon Halftime Show and the presenting sponsor of a new pre-game show on SEC Network, "SEC Now Live From."
"Football and guacamole go hand-in-hand, and this year the CFP is anticipated to have even more viewers and occasions to enjoy fresh Avocados From Mexico," Stephanie Bazan, AFM's senior vice president of commercial strategy and execution, said in the statement. "That's what makes this partnership such a perfect fit. Being the Official Avocado Brand of such a beloved event allows us to reach football fans across the country and remind them to shop for fresh avocados to prepare their game day recipes, whether they're tailgating or watching at home.”
"As the first produce brand to advertise in both the Big Game and the College Football Playoff, we are proud to have built such close ties to the game of football," added Alvaro Luque, AFM president and CEO. "It's a sport that brings people together — and there's no better feeling than rooting for your favorite team over a freshly-prepared bowl of guacamole. We know that our brand plays a big role in making football season extra special and aim to continuously find innovative ways to show shoppers how they can make their game day one to remember."