Increasing sales of fruits and vegetables is as simple as increasing interesting and innovative marketing. It’s that easy.

During a presentation at the Cause Marketing Forum’s annual conference in Chicago called “Acting Like a Big Brand,” new strategies were shared to boost a nonprofit’s engagement and market penetration. The same approach can be applied to nonprofits seeking to increase engagement on social media.

Ryan D. Shadrick Wilson, chief strategy officer and general counsel for Partnership for a Healthier America presented on their campaign called FNV, for Fruits and Vegetables.

* $1.6 Billion spent on advertising food and beverages to youth, only one percent is on produce;
* Over 80 percent of foods endorsed by athletes are unhealthy;
* FNV looks to combat this with posters promoting eating fruits and vegetables for children to win a championship basketball game, featuring pro-basketball player Stephen Curry;
They have also created a simple, memorable logo that pairs with their advertisements;
* FNV also took advantage of social media posting across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using celebrities and word-play to spread their message;
* The postings on social media had 38,600 mentions on social media;
* Retail partners are showing increased penetration in produce since implementing FNV marketing materials; and,
* FNV has produced eight times the value of its initial investment.

FNV’s movement toward creating a cultural shift in attitudes about fruit and vegetables can easily be applied to nonprofits looking to engage with constituents on different platforms. By making advertising interesting and appealing, it encourages sharing and donations, making the most of advertisements and allowing them to create returns much greater than the initial investment.