A novel solution to a key challenge faced by Zespri has rewarded Kanako Inomata the New Zealand Kiwifruit Industry Innovation Trophy.

Kanako currently works as head of marketing for Zespri in Japan.

Her research has managed to find a solution to selling more kiwifruit in Japan against all trends and where sales of fruit have been dropping over the past decade.

It's the first year the trophy has been presented, since being set up in 2015 by former Chairman of Kiwifruit New Zealand Sir Brian Elwood to recognise outstanding innovation achievements.

Zespri General Manager Global Marketing Jiunn Shih says Kanako's achievement has been to challenge convention and introduce a new marketing approach in Japan that makes Zespri Kiwifruit the hero, putting it front and centre in consumers' minds.

'For many years, our marketing relied on using well-known celebrities to promote the product,” says Jiunn.

'Through her work in consumer research and insights, Kanako recognised while this had positive short-term impact, it failed to build the Zespri brand toward its potential, with consumers remembering the celebrity more than the product they're promoting.”

Kanako has recognised that working with celebrities was too costly for a limited marketing budget and decided to respond to consumer insights instead.

She came up with an entirely new approach – two mascots called the ‘Kiwifruit Brothers'.

The award-winning characters have proved enormously popular with consumers and helped increase brand awareness and resonance for Zespri in Japan.

Kanako's next challenge was to get Zespri's sales partners on board with the new programme, involving instore displays across Japan using 13,000 sets of the mascots.

It was supported with an integrated animation-based TV commercial, plus communication through digital media, fruit sampling and packaging, to establish the loveable mascots as enduring, iconic characters in Japan.

'The execution of the programme has been excellent, supported by new ways of understanding consumer insights that we are now sharing with other Zespri markets,” says Jiunn.

'Through breaking a long-standing marketing approach, Kanako has found a way to engage with younger consumers in Japan and open up significant new potential to grow Zespri sales.”

Japan is regarded as a mature market and has been Zespri's longstanding number one market globally.

However, Zespri was able to grow sales by 30 per cent in this important market between 2015 and 2017 and has plans to further increase sales by 25 percent over the next five years.

The judging panel for the trophy involved Zespri Chairman Peter McBride, industry regulator Kiwifruit New Zealand, Chair Kristy McDonald and NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc, President Doug Brown.

Peter McBride says the panel reviewed some excellent nominations, showcasing a wide variety of innovation across the industry.

'Whether the innovation involves science and technology, investment models, marketing or other initiatives, the application of new ideas underpins the long-term viability of our industry.”

'We are delighted to recognise Kanako for her excellent contribution which can create enduring value and we thank all those who have been nominated for the trophy this year.”