From Easter to Election Day and beyond, holidays and current events provide companies a prime opportunity to cultivate and grow an engaged audience.

By building a digital campaign around a specific date or cause, you can create a far-reaching movement that spurs people to action. In fact, this strategy can also result in gaining more loyal customers and brand ambassadors who are more likely to re-engage with your company throughout the year.

Here are three case studies of farming and agricultural organizations that have successfully leveraged the calendar for a massive win.

SOCIAL MEDIA CASE STUDY: California Avocado Commission

•  Campaign: Avocados or Dragon Eggs?

•  Current Event: The start of the highly anticipated final season of the popular HBO Series “Game of Thrones” in mid-April 2019

•  Tactics:

–   “Avocados or Dragon Eggs?” meme on social media: With a tongue-in-cheek nod to the final “Game of Thrones” season, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) designed and posted an “Avocados or Dragon Eggs?” graphic on its Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts to signal that winter is over and that it’s time for California Hass avocados again.

–   Tapping Influencers: CAC tapped registered dietitian nutritionist Liz Shaw to spread the word about the start of the season and health aspects of the fruit, contributing “Cook Like a Californian” content. CAC also encouraged other retail dietitians to use some of Shaw’s recipes, boosting the scope of the program.

•  Result:

–   The highest level of engagement CAC had ever seen on social media: 350,000 impressions and 36,000 likes, 3,000 shares/saves and 800 comments.

–   CAC also distributed a press release to ag trade media about the campaign’s success, garnering an additional 219,000 impressions.

MARKETING CASE STUDY: LGS Specialty Sales

•  Campaign: #BeMyClementine

•  Holiday: Valentine’s Day 2021

•  Tactics:

–   Pink Darling Clementine Packaging: In honor of Valentine’s Day, LGS Specialty Sales—a Western Growers member and leading importer of citrus, avocados, grapes and persimmons—offered a festive, limited-time pink packaging for its proprietary Darling Clementine line. The packaging was only available throughout the month of February at selected retailers.

–   Instagram #BeMyClementine competition: To promote its pink packaging, LGS hosted a giveaway on its @darlingcitrus Instagram account where customers could enter to win a special Valentine’s Day prize. Additionally, to support the retailers who carried the pink-packaged clementines, LGS offered customers an additional entry if they found the pink packaging in stores.

–   Press Release: To draw shoppers to the produce aisle and drum up attention for their social media competition, LSG distributed a press release to the media announcing the Valentine’s Day packaging and social media competition.

•  Result: Nearly 1,000 consumers participated in the #BeMyClementine social media competition, with three winners taking home prizes.

ADVOCACY CASE STUDY: Family Farmers Against Prop 15 (a coalition of leading agricultural organizations including Western Growers, California Farm Bureau and Agricultural Council of California)

•  Campaign: Family Farmers Against
Prop 15

•  Current Event: Ballot Proposition, Election Day 2020

•  Tactics:

–   Website: The coalition developed and launched cafarmersagainstprop15.com to serve as a hub for voters to take action by either donating to the cause or joining the coalition. The website also housed information about how the proposition would affect family farmers, as well as press releases and sharable infographics and videos.

–   YouTube Videos: A series of videos (many of which featured WG members) were created and shared on social media, the website, and through digital advertising to help educate voters on the potentially negative effects of Prop 15.

–   Radio Ads: Several radio spots featuring California farmers were produced and aired on rural stations throughout the state.

–   Media Relations: The coalition distributed several press releases at strategic points during the campaign, which were amplified by the public relations efforts of the participating coalition members.

–   Social Media: The coalition built Twitter and Facebook accounts specific for the campaign that showcased:

o   Links to newspaper and magazine articles that spoke about the campaign/issue

o   Compelling infographics with voter-tested messaging

o   Short videos featuring farmers sharing how Prop 15 would harm their family farm as well as farmers throughout the state

o   “Vote Early” and “Vote” infographics posted when ballots hit mailboxes and on election day encouraging the public to vote “no” on Prop 15

–   Customizable Digital Assets: To easily allow voters to show support on social media for the Family Farmers Against Prop 15 campaign, “Vote NO on Prop 15” social frames and banner images were available to download, customize and use.

–   Letters to legislators and community leaders: The coalition sent letters to California Governor Gavin Newsom and select mayors throughout California detailing how Prop 15 would have exposed much of California’s food supply to steep property tax increases.

•  Result: The measure was defeated with 52% of California voters rejecting Prop 15.