Branding an Apple

It all started with Honeycrisp.

In the late 90s, Honeycrisp apples kicked the popularity of U.S. name-brand varieties into high gear, joining the ranks of Galas and Pink Ladies.

Apple aficionados readily swapped out their Red Delicious for the sweeter, firmer, tarter Honeycrisp. (People really don’t like Red Delicious apples.)

Honeycrisp was developed at the University of Minnesota, and is Minnesota’s state fruit.

Folks in the apple world say the industry has two eras: Before the Honeycrisp and after the Honeycrisp.

But the Honeycrisp is notoriously tough to grow, increasing complications and costs for farmers, retailers and consumers.

How Do You Like Them Apples?

Enter the Cosmic Crisp.

A cross between Honeycrisp and Enterprise varieties, the Cosmic Crisp is a more farmer-friendly apple that delivers on the same value props as the Honeycrisp.

Per the Wall Street Journal:

“For farmers, the difference is drastic. The Cosmic Crisp is more resilient, stays fresh longer in storage and its U.S. production is limited to Washington state.”

The push to put Cosmic Crisp on the map was a concerted effort that included a $10 million marketing campaign – the largest in apple industry history.

The apple awareness campaign was funded by Washington State, which was eager to bring a trending variety back to the state amid the Red Delicious’ fall from grace.

The campaign included influencers, in-store promotions and a touring theater production of Johnny Appleseed. The Cosmic Crisp has a tagline (two, actually): “Imagine the Possibilities” and “The Apple of Big Dreams.”

Even the name was a marketing choice. It was a focus group participant who noted that the white dots on the red skin looked like stars. That bold image, combined with a nod to its Honeycrisp cred, creates a memorable name that gives produce shoppers pause.

Today, the branding is paying off. Cosmic Crisp production is up more than 20 times in the last five years.