Partnerships With Major Media Builds Trust in Almonds

ABC’s Global Communications team launched compelling new campaigns in recent weeks, telling the almond industry's sustainability story through top-level media that resonate with target consumers: UK Men’s Health, UK Women’s Health and The New York Times. 

These paid partnerships feature custom videos, written pieces and advertising. They were strategically chosen because they’re high-profile, key almond consumers see and respect them and the media companies will spread the content and magnify the influence. 

Breezy, cheeky stories for the UK 

Men’s Health tells the story with a myth-busting, cheeky video and written article featuring UK personality Jamie Carson. He learns about almonds’ health benefits from registered dietician Juliette Kellow, then travels to California to learn how almonds are grown.

He visits Veenstra’s orchard and pollinator habitat (Veenstra is a third-generation almond grower), talks with ABC Chief Scientific Officer Josette Lewis and Rory Crowley from Project Apis m., learning about zero waste, water efficiency and how almonds are healthy for bees and the planet. The result is charming, seamless and convincing. 

Women’s Health’s readers connect to personal stories. So, after hearing about her farm from the Men’s Health team, they featured Veenstra and her family’s farm in a piece titled, “How the Next Generation of Almond Farmers is Protecting the Planet.” 

“This is highest-impact sustainability communications we’ve run in the EU,” said Kathryn Martino, ABC’s Europe consultant for communications and marketing. “This helps set the record straight about California almonds and addresses the most common misconceptions held by UK consumers.” 

A strong message: almonds have little food waste 

The New York Times story and custom illustrations use the paper’s top tier reporting, writing and creativity to show that shelf-stable, nutritious almonds are a near zero waste food – an impactful story because nearly 40% of all U.S.-grown food is thrown away. 

The story features a respected third-party voice – best-selling author and food waste expert Jonathan Bloom – ABC Board of Directors chair Brian Wahlbrink and ABC’s Josette Lewis. They detail how the industry’s “innovative approaches to almond cultivation are providing sustainability lessons for the food industry at large,” the NY Times says. 

Like past collaborations with The Atlantic and Vox, these partnerships will be used many ways with lasting impacts. 

The stories work because they are real 

Men’s and Women’s Health’s publisher is promoting the packages across their digital network, which includes titles such as Cosmopolitan and Elle. ABC is promoting the content in social media ads, as background for mainstream press, in coming Pollinator Week activities and more. 

The NY Times is promoting their package with website ads and a strong social media plan, and ABC will use it in a social media campaign during harvest. Together, the partnerships will draw 30 million-plus impressions, shaping consumer perceptions about almonds and sustainability across the U.S. and UK.