More Matters countdown to liftoff

It was a good morning of of sessions talking about the Monday launch of the Fruit and Veggies: More Matters campaign today. Elizabeth Pivonka of PBH said that better than 60% of retailers and fresh produce suppliers have already signed license agreements to use the brand.

PBH will focus on implementation of the brand and fundraising this year, and a special committee will be appointed later to look at building the revenue stream to support the outreach to GenX moms.

Pivonka said this campaign doesn't need hundreds of millions of dollars to be effective, as the dynamics of the campaign, she believes, are close to pushing it over the tipping point. Obviously, the country's obesity epidemic should be favorable to the success of the campaign. Gen X moms will be targeted through cost-effective new media like the Internet. The support of federal and state agencies will be invaluable, and the trade is getting behind the program.

Much work has gone into the planning and now the implementation of More Matters. I only wish that more money could be devoted to it. If PBH had a promotion order like dairy, just dream of what could be done. This campaign may not need a couple of hundred million to succeed, but it couldn't hurt.

Coverage of the launch is popping up everywhere: Here is a link to activity in Rhode Island. Here is a link to the launch of the campaign in Nebraska.