February 14, 2002
Marketing campaign seeks to boost sales of Florida produce and bring vacationers to Sunshine State
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced a promotional campaign designed to help both agriculture and tourism, Florida's top two industries.
The "Win a Florida Vacation" campaign is a joint venture involving the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and VISIT FLORIDA, the official marketing agency for Florida tourism.
The promotion is intended to increase sales of Florida fresh fruits and vegetables to consumers in the northeastern United States and Canada between February and May 2002. In addition, grocery shoppers in areas targeted by the promotion can register to win free vacations to the Sunshine State.Vacation packages will include round-trip air transportation for two to Miami Beach via U.S. Airways; five days of rental car usage courtesy of Dollar Rent A Car, and five days and four nights accommodations at the Shelborne Beach Resort in South Beach.
"Food production and tourism are the bedrock of Florida's economy, but both are encountering serious challenges today, "Bronson said."Our growers face stiff competition from foreign imports and other states, while our tourism industry suffers due to recent events that have caused a downturn in travel. This one-two punch has heightened the need for a promotional campaign to benefit both sectors."
More than 2,000 grocery stores in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada will participate in the promotion. Florida fruits and vegetables will be prominently featured throughout targeted supermarkets, along with a point-of-sale contest offering free Florida vacations. Shoppers can register by mail or on the Internet at www.fl-ag.com.
The initiative involves large grocery chains in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Washington, Montreal, Toronto and other large population centers. Participating stores include Shop Rite, Tops, Shaw's Supermarkets, Acme, Pathway Stores, Safeway, Giant Foods, Jewel-Osco, Roundy's and Spartan Stores.
The "Sunshine-filled Florida produce" project is part of the ongoing "Fresh from Florida" campaign, an identification and promotional program designed to boost the image of Florida agriculture and increase sales by helping consumers to easily identify Florida-grown agricultural products at retail stores. The multimedia campaign also helps increase public awareness of the importance of Florida's $7 billion agriculture industry to the state's economy.
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