Dec. 15, 2008, U.S. - Classic Marketing Company posted
interim results yesterday for the three months ending September 30, reporting
that organic net sales of www.fragoli.biz were up 46%.
The
company said there were “no material change in the financial position” since
they last announced results, noting that they had harvested one metric ton of
wild strawberries this past harvest period. Joe Ballin, CEO of Classic,
acknowledged that the economic slowdown is affecting the company. "We
anticipated this since the beginning of the financial year. Although these
challenging economic trends have affected our business, the creativity and
uniqueness of Fragoli has delivered an amazing organic growth
performance. The first three quarters of this year we have not seen significant
adverse changes in our markets.”
This wild strawberry liqueur has been displaying full page, full
color ads featured in New York Magazine, New York Times, New York Times
Magazine, and will be running digital ads on www.nymag.com, and www.nytimes.com
through December 2008. Fragoli was also the exclusive liqueur in New York Times
Scent Event which took place at The Times Center on December 8th.
Ocean Drive and Playboy are our next prospects on the media agenda for Fragoli.
Fragoli
has been available in Europe for a handful of years, and made its U.S. debut in
New York in 2006. Toschi Vignola created Fragoli in partnership with
Joseph Ballin, president of Classic Marketing Co. P.R. (the same partnership
that yielded Nocello, the walnut liqueur that launched in 1983). "In many
ways Fragoli is like a vintage wine." Ballin describes. "After we
finish picking [the wild strawberries] we can't produce anymore."
"We have been shocked by the popularity of Fragoli, particularly since we
are competing with brands that have $50 million marketing campaigns."
Ballin states.
The product could not have hit the market at a better time. In a recent
scientific study, researchers found that the addition of ethanolthe type of alcohol found in most
spirits - boosts the antioxidant nutrients in strawberries and blackberries.
Coincidentally, this news speaks directly to Fragoli's target consumer.
"We designed Fragoli's market approach with a very specific consumer in
mind: women," Toschi says. "The beautiful people and certain pockets
of high-society adopted it immediately which has led to its fast success."
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