As the senior director of Global Marketing, Emily Fleischmann oversees Almond Board of California’s (ABC) global marketing investments in eight countries, crafting individualized plans that best target consumers in key markets.
Emily Fleischmann oversees Almond Board of California’s global marketing investments in eight countries.
“California Almonds have a great story, and it’s exciting to make sure that story is getting to as many consumers as possible,” she said.
Working through ABC’s Global Market Development Committee, Fleischmann spearheads the efforts of Almond Board staff along with domestic and international marketing agency partners to market California Almonds in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, India, China and South Korea.
“We are working to develop nuanced marketing programs within individual markets that can best reach consumers and other audiences, including health and food professionals, to increase overall demand for almonds.
”The overseas regional managers also work with ABC’s Technical and Regulatory Affairs teams to address market access issues working with experts on individual market development issues as they arise so product can flow as freely as possible.
While the Almond Board has leveraged health and nutrition research in its marketing campaigns for many years, more recently, production and environmental research has become of interest to people outside the industry.
“Twenty years ago, we started planting the seed by funding research into the health benefits of almonds. We continue to build on what we know about the health benefits of almonds with an empowerment message about how almonds fit into a healthy lifestyle,”Fleischmann said.
Marketing teams work across committees, including the Nutrition Research, Environmental and Production Research Committees, to ensure marketing efforts capitalize on the latest health and consumer trends.
“The trend of consumers caring about where their food comes from, we are seeing that across the globe, although there are differences by region in their level of interest,” she said. “In Europe, the U.S. and Canada, there is strong interest in knowing the food they eat is having a neutral impact on the land. And
in China, the emphasis is on food safety issues and consumers want assurances the food they are eating is coming from a safe source.”
Telling that story also comes with challenges. In China, escalating media costs limit the ability to directly reach consumers, so Almond Board of California is focusing on Tier 1 cities, Shanghai and Beijing, with an eye on Guangzhou next year. Partnering with nut brands in China and leveraging social media channels is helping to spread the message further.
Domestically, the Almond Board is also shifting its approach to better target consumers.
“We are taking a hard look at who the target consumer is and what they are engaging in so we can meet them via multiple touch points,” Fleischmann said
Contextually relevant ads and digital engagement are pushing the envelope and challenging traditional marketing models to reach consumers in new ways.
A partnership with nfl.com, as an example, provided opportunities for direct engagement with consumers during last year’s Fantasy Football draft. California Almonds were featured on one popular page giving humorous fantasy football draft tips.
Fleischmann joined the Almond Board in March 2016 and has made an effort to meet with growers and handlers and learn about the industry from the ground up.
A native of the Midwest, Fleischmann brings a background in brand management, global finance and accounting to the position. She worked for eight years as a marketing manager for a large traditional consumer packaged goods company and as a marketing and business manager for a family-owned firm for four years after that. She said the Almond Board provides her with the best of all those experiences.
“It couldn’t have been a better fit. I am able to leverage my experience in brand building with my passion for other cultures and be part of an industry that is impressive and puts me closer to where the food comes from,” she said.
