Celebrating the pink side of life

Anchored in consumer insights, new Pink Lady® brand positioning is connecting with consumers around the world. 

Pink Lady – a global brand 

Pink Lady is the world’s most loved apple brand, with almost 470,000MT of branded apples grown and sold under licence around the globe.  

For over 30 years, Twenty Degrees – formerly APAL and Coregeo’s commercial and marketing teams – has managed the Pink Lady brand. This management encompasses the licensing, marketing, quality assurance, territory oversight and IP protection.  

Operating a robust global network, Twenty Degrees oversees 10 Master Licensees, 135 licensed exporters and 136 licensed importers across 13 countries. The Pink Lady network spans Europe, the UK, Africa and emerging markets in Asia and the Middle East.  

Through strategic collaboration within this international framework, Twenty Degrees actively invests in the growth and global marketing of the Pink Lady brand. By managing the entire supply chain, Twenty Degrees ensures that Pink Lady consistently delivers its renowned quality and adheres to brand specifications, providing consumers with an exceptional eating experience.  

Royalties from the Pink Lady brand are invested in a number of ways including international marketing activities, brand protection, licensing and quality control. The surplus from these royalties is returned to APAL and a portion of this is invested into programs and activities – such as Future Orchards®, the APAL Industry Forum and APAL Technical Symposium – for the benefit of Australian apple and pear growers. 

Pink Lady brand enters China market with Goodfarmer  

The Pink Lady brand has officially made its debut in China, with Goodfarmer Group securing territory management and marketing responsibilities across Greater China. The Pink Lady brand is a natural fit with Goodfarmer – a food supplier with a proven track record of introducing other branded fruits like Zespri™ and Driscoll’s® to the Chinese market. 

China is the world’s largest apple market, which presents extraordinary opportunities for Pink Lady.  

“The positive response we’ve seen in the imported apple category confirms the demand for high-quality branded fruit in China,” said Phil Turnbull, Group CEO of APAL and Twenty Degrees. “We are confident that the distinctive taste profile, colour, size and eating quality of Pink Lady apples will capture the attention of savvy Chinese consumers.” 

Goodfarmer plans to focus on robust brand building, strategic marketing promotions, and channel expansion to ensure Pink Lady thrives in the dynamic local market. In addition, Goodfarmer and Twenty Degrees are investigating an opportunity to grow and export from China to designated Southeast Asian markets to supplement Southern Hemisphere supply.  

Leveraging the expertise of Twenty Degrees in IP protection, strategic marketing, quality assurance and brand management, the partnership with Goodfarmer is set to build strong relationships with consumers, retailers and suppliers, fostering growth and success for the Pink Lady brand in China. 

The Pink Lady® and Goodfarmer partnership was marked by a launch event in Shanghai in July, attended by representatives from APAL and Twenty Degrees and distinguished guests, including David Warner, Acting Consulate General from the Australian Consulate-General Shanghai, Debbie Langford, Minister Counsellor (Agriculture) – Beijing, DFAT, and Stella Cai, Senior Business Development Director, Austrade.

New Pink Side of Life brand positioning unveiled 

The Pink Lady brand’s new Pink Side of Life brand positioning is designed to drive growth and foster brand advocacy in the emerging markets across Asia and the Gulf. 

Anchored in consumer insights from key developing markets across Asia and the Gulf, the new brand positioning aims to connect with consumers on an emotional level and celebrate the distinctive vibrancy and boldness of the apple. Pink Side of Life emphasises individuality and embraces the universal truth that life is more interesting and enjoyable when we live it authentic to our individuality and embrace our unique selves. 

The brand strategy has been thoughtfully localised and tailored to align with the socio-cultural nuances of each market, ensuring the brand resonates with local audiences in a meaningful way. The Pink Lady marketing team collaborated with leading creative agencies to shape the strategy, conducting consumer and category-led workshops in Asia, the Gulf and the United Kingdom. These sessions provided valuable insights, examined cultural dynamics and identified opportunities to craft a market-specific approach that truly connects with consumers in those particular regions. 

The Pink Side of Life brand positioning is already making a significant impact across festive occasion packaging, instore points of sale (POS) and online channels, with campaigns now live in Thailand, China and Taiwan, enhancing the brand’s visibility and reach. 

The Pink Side of Life brand positioning has been crafted to speak directly to consumers in Asia and the Gulf, build brand awareness and encourage product trials, while preparing consumers for a unique and invigorating eating experience.

Pink Lady debuts Saboreie a Vida em Rosa in Brazil 

Inspired by the new Pink Side of Life brand positioning, Pink Lady Brazil has launched its first localised campaign, Saboreie a Vida em Rosa (Savour Life in Pink).  

Over 80 importers, exporters and retailers attended the launch event in June 2024, where they heard about the brand’s unique value proposition, the strength of the Pink Lady network and the rigorous quality and IP protection that make it the world’s most loved apple brand.  

Through colourful, emotion-led campaign assets, Pink Lady Brazil is captivating consumers by celebrating the distinctive personality of the Pink Lady brand. The campaign program features shopper POS activations, retailer tasting sessions and a comprehensive social media and online channel strategy.  

Developed together with fruit exporters association Frutas de Chile and designed by agency Hopscotch-Sopexa with support from Twenty Degrees and Chilean exporters, the investment in Brazil underscores a shared commitment to diversifying export opportunities and driving volume growth for the Pink Lady brand in the region. 

Colourful, emotion-led campaign assets that celebrate the distinctive personality of the Pink Lady® brand are captivating consumers in Brazil.

Pink Lady South Africa Taste the Sweet Life! season launch 

Pink Lady South Africa’s season launch campaign, Taste the Sweet Life!, draws on consumer insights and has been carefully curated to capture the adventurous spirit and zest for life held by Pink Lady enthusiasts. 

The campaign spans multiple platforms, ensuring the brand remains front of mind for consumers. The marketing strategy includes social media content across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, backed by targeted social media advertising, social media competitions, influencer collaborations and bespoke TikTok video content. 

Retail activations have also been a focus, with digital banners on retailer websites, PinKids tastings held at supermarkets and eye-catching instore plasma-screen advertising driving awareness in the retail environment. 

Taste the Wow. Everyday, everyone in Kenya 

Pink Lady Kenya has unveiled a vibrant new Taste the Wow. Everyday, everyone campaign that showcases the universal appeal of Pink Lady apples across diverse Kenyan landscapes. 

Celebrating the versatility and wide accessibility of Pink Lady apples, the relatable campaign underscores that Pink Lady apples are there to be enjoyed by all. 

Through a compelling storytelling campaign, Pink Lady Kenya is inviting consumers to make every day an opportunity to experience the wow of Pink Lady apples, whether savouring a quick bite on a tuktuk ride, or taking a quiet moment by the beach or in the mountains. A strong social media presence driven by both macro and micro-influencers amplifies this campaign message. Retail activations, in partnership with Naivas supermarkets, are being complemented by creative guerrilla marketing initiatives, including flash mobs, vibrant building light-ups and eye-catching Pink Lady branded tuktuks bringing the campaign to life. 

Whether savouring a quick snack on a tuktuk or matatus (pictured) ride or taking a quiet moment by the beach or in the mountains, the Taste the Wow. Everyday, everyone campaign in Kenya positions Pink Lady® apples as the perfect companion.

This article was first published in the Spring 2024 edition of AFG.