New Zealand apple brand’s mascot takes off on social media
A Queenstown trek has thrust the mascot of New Zealand apple brand Koru into the spotlight in international markets.
The larger-than-life apple mascot, originally created for in-store tastings, was taken on an adventure into the New Zealand landscape and photographed high above Queenstown, channelling the adventurous spirit of famous New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary.
The photo, shared on social media, went viral, securing engagement in key export markets, particularly Taiwan and Vietnam.
Fredy Masterson, sales executive at Fern Ridge Fresh, who oversees the marketing strategy for the Koru apple export group, said the response was a fitting extension of the idea of the “True New Zealand Legend”, which the brand was built around
“Koru is all about the idea of a True New Zealand Legend. It’s about being humble, rolling up your sleeves, giving things a crack and not making too much of a fuss about it,” said Masterson.
“We thought we’d have a bit of fun, plonk our Koru mascot on top of an iconic New Zealand landscape and let him channel his inner Sir Ed. We put a small amount of spend behind the post, but we certainly weren’t expecting the response it received, particularly from consumers in Taiwan and Vietnam.”
Masterson said the post reflected the opportunity social media provided to connect with consumers across borders.
“We spend a lot of time building the Koru brand in our export markets, so seeing people thousands of kilometres away engaging with something that is so unmistakably Kiwi is pretty special,” said Masterson.
“It’s a nice reminder that you don’t always have to shout the loudest to get noticed. Sometimes you can just do something a little different, have some fun with it and see where it takes you.”
