Revitalizing New Year’s Resolutions
We’re now a couple months into 2020, and like many people, you may have made plans for a healthier year. Resolutions have long been a part of ringing in a new year – pledges to make this year better than the last with improved habits and lifestyle changes. Living a healthier life is often first on the list. In a recent INC.com survey, 71 percent of respondents stated that dieting, or eating healthier, was their number one resolution for the New Year.

However, as many of us know, resolutions of change are easier to make than keep. In fact, the same survey indicated that more than 80 percent of Americans failed at keeping their New Year’s resolutions – with a separate Strava study suggesting the majority fail by Jan. 12, often because goals feel unattainable and too many lifestyle changes become overwhelming.

How does this apply to pecans? Well, as we’ve shared before, we ground our marketing campaigns in consumer behaviors and research. We know that there is a genuine desire by many Americans to eat more nutritiously, but that many struggle to maintain significant eating and lifestyle changes. With this in mind, we are showing Americans how they can make the nutritious, delicious – and simple – change of adding pecans to their regular eating and snacking routines. Not only are they tasty and versatile, but pecans put their “superpowers” to work effortlessly, keeping consumers satisfied with nutrients while they go about their busy days.

Introducing the Superpowers of Pecans
It’s no surprise that there are many other brands working to promote health and nutrition benefits. In order to stand out in a crowded market, we are taking a unique approach to our next big marketing campaign. The Superpowers of Pecans highlights the nutritional power of pecans in a fun and approachable way by introducing a quirky, nostalgic, and engaging series of animated, comic strip-styled content.

Superheroes are wildly popular with today’s consumers – in fact, more than a quarter of the 100 highest-grossing movies of all time are superhero flicks. There is a very good chance you or someone you know saw a superhero movie last year, as three of the top five grossing movies of 2019 were superhero themed, including Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing movie of all time.
Today’s cultural fascination with superpowers inspired this latest content collection. The graphics, curated in partnership with a professional graphic illustrator, spotlight different characteristics that make pecans a stand-out snack or ingredient.

From heart health*, to vitamins and minerals, the nutritious superpowers of pecans are the stars of the series. Pecans are superheroes in their own right, but also the ultimate sidekick to busy consumers everywhere. The content shows pecans working their superpowers in easy-to-incorporate ways – a handful tossed into a smoothie, topping a salad, or chopped into energy bars, equally perfect for a snack in the carpool or at the office.

Superpowering Moms and Families
Another dimension of The Superpowers of Pecans campaign is its potential to influence a broad group of potential pecan purchasers. You may recall that our primary target audience is Gen X and Y moms – these are women with families and children still living at home, and who hold primary purchasing power for their household when it comes to food and groceries.

From fitness-focused moms, to those that follow particular diets or lifestyle plans, The Superpowers of Pecans campaign is universally appealing. With tailored comic strip captions and targeting via paid social media, the program will not only appeal to moms and kids, but to all those pursuing a healthier lifestyle.

Getting Involved
The Superpowers of Pecans is built for industry use, and we are committed to making resources accessible and ready to use. The new creative campaign launched in early February. Follow @AmericanPecan on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest) to check out the latest comic content as it is released.

See something you really like? Head to the Industry Toolkit on AmericanPecan.com, and you can unlock an entire library of resources ready for your use. Whether you’re interested in social media posts of your own, or something to print out and share in your store or package with your online orders, American Pecans has you covered.

Stay Connected
To receive the latest campaign announcements and updates on resources made with you in mind, make sure you are subscribed to our email list. You will not only receive our monthly newsletter and Monthly Marketing Highlights report, but also stay updated on all other news from the American Pecan Council.

To register, visit AmericanPecan.com and navigate to the “For Industry” tab across the top bar. There, you can select “Industry Registration” and submit your information. If you’d like assistance in this process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the American Pecan Council at 817-916-0020, and a staff member will help.

*According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of pecans (28g) has 18g unsaturated fat and only 2g saturated fat.