The Chilean cherry industry has launched a promotional video in China as the country's huge population begins celebrations for the Chinese New Year (CNY). 

The three-day festivities begin today (Feb. 16) for one of the most emblematic traditions of the country, representing the arrival of spring and, according to the Chinese horoscope, the Year of the Dog.

The celebrations typically see large volumes of cherries purchased by Chinese consumers.

To mark the occasion, the Chilean Cherry Committee - part of the Chilean Fruit Exporters' Association (Asoex) - and trade promotion group ProChile have released a video letting consumers know the fruit is available as a gift or to enjoy during the holidays.

"The video is presented by Little Smart and Little Beauty, two cherry caricatures that describe the Chilean cherry industry and the places they have visited in China, where they also mention the promotional activities carried out so far in various places and cities in China," said Asoex deputy marketing manager Ignacio Caballero.

The two entities are spending US$5 million on cherry promotions this year, aiming to boost consumption especially before and after CNY and also to raise awareness of the "Cherries from Chile" brand.

Activites carried out since November in China include tastings and exhibitions at points of sale, promotion on e-commerce sites, and campaigns on the leading social media platforms in China - WeChat and Weibo. Advertisements were also put shown in subway stations, on mobile phone apps and in wholesale markets.

"The video was launched on Feb. 15 in China...on our official WeChat account and other Chinese social media platforms," Caballero said.

To date more than 180,000 metric tons (MT) of cherries have been exported to all markets this season, according to data from Asoex. Of the total, 90% has been sent to Asia, with China receiving 95% of that volume.

Caballero said the 2017-18 season had seen record exports in excess of 36 million boxes.

Please find the video below (in Mandarin with Spanish subtitles):

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

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