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Embracing Change

Posted By HBFA | March 23, 2020

NZ Digital and Marketing Infusion were engaged with the development of the logo. The complexity of this rebrand, was the need to represent three sectors within one visual identity.

Creative Director of NZ Digital, Scott Bloomer said, “The brief for this project was complex. When businesses approach us, it is with the requirement to develop a brand identity pertinent to their core function.  But what we needed to develop for HBFA was an identity that represented three sectors – pipfruit, kiwifruit and summerfruit but also reflected elements that represented Hawkes Bay. We managed to encapsulate the sectors seamlessly in the identity and the visual elements have been supported by very tasteful local photography!

President of HBFA, Ben James, said the rebrand has also been an opportunity to improve communication platforms.

“We acknowledge the dynamics within the industry have evolved rapidly over the past 10 years. We need to encourage younger individuals/students to participate in horticulture, whilst still being able to communicate to what is a large proportion of our membership base whom have been involved in the industry for 30-40 years plus.

The Association has been working with Marketing Infusion since August 2019 to review its strategic framework.

“We carried out our own due diligence to assess what our members expected from the Association, what our demographic profile was and how we could better engage with our members and the industry. What has resulted from this has been the establishment of social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn profiles, the development of a new website that is intuitive and easy to navigate around, and a revised sponsorship and membership framework,” says James.

“What we are also excited about, is the increase year on year, of graduates coming out of EIT and Primary ITO with horticulture qualifications. The sector is going through a boom phase and we just can’t get enough of suitably qualified graduates to fill horticulture roles at the moment. There are plenty of career opportunities for those with the passion, drive and motivation to become future leaders of the industry”.

“Covid-19 has really affected all businesses. To claim “it’s business as usual” in the industry would be to ignore the reality and severity of the situation. Horticulture has been significantly impacted by the border closures- we are right in the midst of harvest and backpackers whom the industry relies heavily on, are just not there.”

James said, that although the launch of the website comes in the midst of a crisis, the silver lining for the Association has been the establishment of the social media platforms. “In a time when an industry needs to collaborate in the sense of information sharing, we now have engagement platforms that industry and members can access.

Until such time that confidence and certainty around Covid-19 has been regained, we will be postponing our event and networking series. The health of individuals and viability of the industry is our paramount concern.”

If members or growers have any concerns, please contact HBFA President, Ben James, president@hbfa.co.nz or 022 091 0871.

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