Jun 7 2010

IRVINE, Calif. (June 7, 2010) –Tapping into consumer interest in celebrity chefs, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) put together an innovative public relations program combining new social media tactics and the organization’s ongoing relationship with chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, known together as the “Too Hot Tamales,” to spread new ideas that encourage demand for California Avocados. Feniger also has received national attention as a finalist on Bravo’s hit reality series, “Top Chef Masters.”

“With more than 70 million pounds of avocados consumed around Cinco de Mayo, the California Avocado Commission wanted to ensure that consumers were being inspired with new and delicious ways to incorporate the fruit into their holiday celebrations,” said Jan DeLyser, CAC vice president of marketing. “The chefs have proven to be invaluable in developing exciting new avocado recipe ideas for the occasion and beyond.”

To encourage online coverage of California avocados in connection with Cinco de Mayo, CAC hosted an interactive cooking event for culinary-focused bloggers, featuring the Too Hot Tamales. The food bloggers were treated to an event showcasing fresh California avocados in a variety of applications that promoted avocado use for guacamole and much more. To kick off the event, the bloggers were challenged to a guacamole making contest that generated a number of unique guacamole concepts.

Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing for CAC, reviews fresh guacamole ingredients with chef Susan Feniger
during the Commission’s food blogger event at Ciudad restaurant in Los Angeles.

Then, they were treated to a live cooking demonstration by the Too Hot Tamales as they enjoyed a four-course lunch that showcased California avocados dishes perfect for the holiday. As a result of the event, the food attendees posted food blogs that reached an audience of more than 1.2 million culinary enthusiasts.

“We are excited to be able to tap into the new forms of media and social networking to communicate with our target consumers,” said DeLyser. “This event was the first that we held exclusively for bloggers and the interest and response we received from the blogger community indicates that this new marketing avenue may be very beneficial for the produce industry.”

The Too Hot Tamales, chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger relax with CAC’s Jan DeLyser
after the Commission’s food blogger event at Ciudad restaurant in Los Angeles.

Milliken and Feniger also played an integral role in CAC’s multi-faceted media relations effort around Cinco de Mayo. They created two California avocado-centric recipes that were distributed and pitched to the media. They also appeared in key media activities including “Good Day LA” and a Cinco de Mayo-themed radio news release. In addition, they were featured on CAC’s Web site, in CAC’s recipe e-newsletter and in social media channels.

Outside of the efforts related to Milliken and Feniger, CAC also was able to secure a studio audience giveaway of California avocados on the May 5 episode of “The Martha Stewart Show,” and coordinated a broadcast segment on KABB-TV in San Antonio for CAC Artisan Chef partner Bruce Auden, in which he demonstrated a California avocado recipe for Cinco de Mayo.

About the California Avocado Commission

Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state’s 6,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry. For information about California Avocados, visit CaliforniaAvocado.com, become a fan at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and follow the California Avocado Commission on Twitter at Twitter.com/CA_Avocados.