Some promising news from Rockit for a change. The Hastings-based apple marketer has today announced a new brand ambassador partnership with Wang Yibo, one of China’s most influential celebrities.
Yibo is one of the most recognisable figures in the world’s second most populous country and largest apple market. The all-round actor, singer, dancer, road motorcycle racer and race car driver has partnered with some of the world’s biggest brands including CHANEL and Lacoste and is widely regarded as one of the most commercially valuable entertainers in China.
Yibo will help raise awareness of Rockit’s premium New Zealand-grown apples in China, through a high-profile campaign spanning multiple key channels.
Rockit’s basic problem has been its miniature apple oversupply far outrunning demand, resulting in growers receiving far less compensation than promised, as against high fixed licensing fees and costs buried in planting. As BayBuzz has reported, some growers have bailed out, some declaring bankruptcy.
So making a bigger dent in the world’s largest apple market through celebrity endorsement is a huge marketing gambit to accelerate demand growth.
Rockit Global CEO Grant McBeath says: “Partnering with a brand ambassador of Yibo’s calibre provides a powerful way to reach new audiences at scale, encourage first-time purchase, and continue building a broader and more loyal consumer base over time.”
“Trial is one of the most important drivers of growth for Rockit – when consumers try our apples, they tend to come back, with around 80 percent of consumers going on to repurchase. Yibo’s scale and influence provide a powerful platform to expand brand awareness and reach new consumers at pace.”
“Yibo represents everything Rockit stands for – energy, ambition, and a passion for doing things differently … From the beginning, Rockit has challenged convention in the apple category – from creating a new product format, to building a global premium brand. This partnership continues that approach, combining bold thinking with long-term investment.”
Betting big on a small apple … stay tuned on this one!
