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Download Fruit & Veg IdeasDownload Marketing Unit Review

Estimated Time: 35+ Mins

OVERVIEW

A local farmer needs your help! They’ve got a surplus of fruits and vegetables and they’re just not selling. Sounds like these products desperately need a Marketing Makeover.

From mundane to magnificent, students will collaborate in groups and put their new marketing knowledge to work as they design a new marketing campaign for their local farmer. Think of Chiquita
bananas, Cuties mandarins, or Cosmic Crisp apples. In order to breathe some life into marketing some of our favorite whole foods… it’s time for a makeover!

LEARNING TARGETS
• Students will be able to create a marketing campaign for a fruit or vegetable using learned
marketing strategies: bright colors, celebrities, cartoons, prizes/games, and health claims.
• Students will be able to connect different marketing strategies to a specific target audience
(kids, teens, adults, athletes, etc.).

KEY VOCABULARY
• Marketing Strategies: Tactics that companies use to promote or sell their products.
• Target Audience: The specific group of consumers targeted by a product or marketing strategy.
• Health Claims: Statements on packaging that suggest health benefits, which may or may not
be true.
• Branding: The practice of using bright colors, images, or an identity (e.g., mascot) to make a
product more appealing.
• Marketing Campaign: A coordinated series of activities designed to promote a specific product,
service, or brand to a target audience through strategies.

MATERIALS
• Various food product packages (e.g., Cuties mandarins, Chiquita bananas, Cosmic Crisp
apples).
• Poster boards or digital presentation tools (e.g., Google Slides).
• Markers, colored pencils, or other art supplies.
• Hat or box + cup up pieces of paper with fruits and vegetables for students to draw from

INTRODUCTION
• Begin with a discussion asking student’s favorite fruits and vegetables. Why are they favorites?
• Follow up with questions: When you’re walking through the grocery store, do these fruits and
vegetables come in packaging? Are marketing strategies used on these foods? How often are
they used?

WARM UP
• Show examples of food product packaging with different marketing strategies:

• Mascots on cereals (e.g., Trix, Lucky Charms, Froot Loops)
• Celebrities on drinks (e.g., Gatorade, Powerade, Coke/Pepsi)
• Health claims on snacks (e.g., granola bars, fruit snacks, yogurts)
• Bright colors & prizes/games on snacks (e.g., chips, cookies, candies)

• Ask: “How does the marketing for fruits/vegetables differ from the processed foods we usually
buy?”

*****

OPTIONAL: REVIEW OF MARKETING STRATGIES, TARGET
AUDIENCE, GUIDED PRACTICE (SEE SUPPLEMENTAL SLIDESHOW)

• Explain various marketing strategies using examples from popular food products in
slideshow:

• Bright colors and prizes/games attract children’s attention.
• Celebrities influence buying decisions.
• Health claims persuade parents.

• Discuss how these strategies target specific audiences.
• Address the importance of thinking critically when we see marketing messages; clarify that
marketing claims must technically be true but often exaggerate or misrepresent to appeal to
customer’s emotions.
• Explain how companies spend significant amounts ($2 billion dollars annually) on marketing
food to kids. Ask students why companies would spend so much money.
• Review Froot Loops, Gatorade, Cheetos, and Special K in slideshow
• Have students identify the marketing strategies used and discuss their effectiveness using
the following scaffolded questions:

• What colors are used and why?
• Are there any prizes/games being marketed?
• What health claims are listed?
• Are there any celebrities, cartoons, or mascots?
• Who is the target audience for this product?
Marketing Makeover
• Does the marketing match the ingredients?

• Monitor by circulating among groups and offering support.

*****

GROUP ACTIVITY
• Show a teacher-made example of a “Marketing Makeover” Campaign (e.g., see example in
supplementary pdf).
• In their groups, students will compete to create the best “Marketing Makeover” campaign for a
fruit or vegetable. The winner will be voted on by the class.
• Each group will select a fruit or vegetable from a hat and develop a campaign that incorporates
at least four marketing strategies discussed in class. Students should also be encouraged to
think outside of the box, possibly design catchy characters or come up with a jingle or slogan
to help bring excitement about their product.
• Groups will design a poster or digital presentation showcasing their campaign. Encourage the
use of slogans, jingles, or other creative marketing tactics seen in products their families
purchase.
• Set expectations for creativity and teamwork, reminding students to think critically about how
they can use marketing to influence consumer decisions.

CLOSURE
• Have groups present their marketing campaigns to the class.
• Conduct a brief reflection: “Which campaigns were the most effective or creative? Why?”
• Have students vote for their favorite “Marketing Makeover” Campaign.

LEARNING STANDARDS
Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for 4th Grade ELA
1. Reading Literature:
• RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
and when drawing inferences from the text.
2. Reading Informational Text:
• RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
and when drawing inferences from the text.
• RI.4.2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details.
3. Writing:
• W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly.
4. Speaking and Listening:
• SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
• SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized
manner.
5. Language:
• L.4.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases.

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Standards for 4th Grade
• Standard 1: Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to
build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience.
• Standard 3: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing
genres appropriately.
• Standard 4: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to communicate effectively.
• Standard 5: Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use,
patterns, and dialects.