Wednesday Buzz: Avocado Group Targets Second Super Bowl Success

Last year the trade group Avocados From Mexico  (opens in a new tab) took a big, expensive risk and entered the competitive arena of Super Bowl advertising. Surrounded by flashy beer ads, big-budget movie trailers, and celebrity spokespeople, the group’s first ad proved successful  (opens in a new tab).

And, according to an Adobe analysis of social media activity  (opens in a new tab), the avocado-centric ad came in second in terms of online buzz. Not bad for an organization making its first foray into the big game!

Like many other advertisers, Avocados From Mexico has launched its newest ad before the Super Bowl, embracing a more ambitious concept and Scott Baio.

It took a bigger investment of time and money to create the sci-fi ad, according to Avocados From Mexico’s Director of Brand Marketing, Kevin Hamilton, but the organization was up to the challenge, especially given its year-one success.

“The Super Bowl really suits us,” he told Adweek  (opens in a new tab). “We’ve always been a part of the Super Bowl, but now we’re just informing people on what they were already doing.”

The ad aims to kick off the group’s broader #AvosInSpace  (opens in a new tab) campaign, which you can check out via the hashtag or on its site  (opens in a new tab).

Project of the Day

We’ve all heard of the Human Genome Project, and now a new venture from Culture That Works  (opens in a new tab) and WorkXO  (opens in a new tab) is trying to chart the makeup of workplaces. Check out Maddie Grant’s explanation of the Workplace Genome Project’s mission here  (opens in a new tab).

Other Good Reads

The reaction may prove to be overblown, but Uber’s sudden decision to change its logo  (opens in a new tab) and, most important, its app icon is yet another reminder that all rebranding efforts must be approached with caution.

And for those hungry for an in-depth look at Uber’s major revamp, there’s this behind-the-scenes story from Wired  (opens in a new tab) reporter Jessi Hempel.

What does volunteerism look like in America? This new infographic  (opens in a new tab) from OnlineMPHToday.com  (opens in a new tab) reveals all, via Engaging Volunteers  (opens in a new tab).

(Avocados From Mexico)