Mission minded

I think PBH lost out on an opportunity to build excitement in the Fruits and Veggies More Matters Web site by passing on the chance to use Disney characters on their Web site. An earlier post provides Elizabeth Pivonka's letter to the board on the decision.

Either way, this is not a make or break decision. Much more work on the Fruits and Veggies: More Matters message must be done to even nudge the awareness meter of the brand.These efforts will take much more toil and investment. As the graph at the bottom of the blog show, current visitors to the More Matters Web site are measured in the thousands, not millions.

Using the Disney characters would have given the F&VMM site more oomph and personality, and the brainstorming by Imagination Farms to be extend the More Matters should be commended. From all indications, IF remains committed to extended the More Matters message in other ways.

The PBH Executive Committee now must come up with parameters that allow the staff clear direction in the pursuit of their mission to expand fruit and vegetable consumption. Elizabeth Pivonka mentioned to me once that one of their public health partners raised objections to a campaign with McDonald's on one of their salad items. Now, an association with Disney characters is nixed because of competitive concerns among produce marketers. PBH and the industry must figure out how to vault the More Matters brand into the mainstream of the American consciousness without offending any of their core supporters - and it doesn't look like it will be very easy.