LOS ANGELES – Slice and click! People around the world are breaking out their cameras and slicing oranges and other citrus fruits for the biggest citrus-themed photo competition of its kind. The festivities are drawing thousands of international participants and headline Sunkist Growers’ global celebration commemorating “100 Years of Sunkist.”
The contest received a kick-off on Sunkist International Smiles Day (February 20), with citrus lovers from around the world including the United States, Canada, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan invited to submit original photos of themselves with a creative “Sunkist Smile” (orange wedge in the mouth). For the winners, there are a number of grand prize packages featuring international travel plus bragging rights of having their winning “smile” flashed at the world-famous Times Square in New York City. Each time an eligible submission is received, Sunkist is donating from 100 cents to 100 yen to Special Olympics, up to $50,000.
Now through May 15, consumers from around the world are encouraged to submit a photograph and brief caption to www.Sunkist.com. On-screen instructions will direct participants to the appropriate in-language micro-site for their country. Judging criteria are based on Creativity (40 percent), Fun Factor (30 percent) and Quality of Image (30 percent). One grand prize winner and multiple first-place winners will be selected from each of the participating countries. See www.Sunkist.com for official contest rules.
“We’re proud to have developed one of the largest food brand names in the world,” says Tim Lindgren, CEO of Sunkist Growers. “Folks have been showing us their Sunkist Smiles for years because it’s a fun way to enjoy the delicious taste of fresh fruit. By turning this into an international event, we look forward to celebrating how people around the world connect with our brand and truly enjoy the refreshing experience of Sunkist citrus.”
Over the last 100 years, Sunkist has become one of the most recognized food brands in the world and has built consumer trust by consistently delivering superior-quality, delicious-tasting fresh fruit. Each year, millions of crates of citrus spanning 12 different varieties are harvested in California and Arizona and then shipped throughout the United States and abroad. Crops are managed closely as growers, often third- and fourth-generation small farmers, take great care year-round to nurture the land, pick fruit at its prime and then carefully pack each piece into one of 300 possible Sunkist packages. In some parts of the world, the word “Sunkist ” has become synonymous with citrus because of the brand’s overall leadership in the fresh fruit category.
“We’re honored to be the beneficiary of Sunkist’s 100-years celebration photo contest,” says Tim Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics (www.SpecialOlympics.org). “Both our brands are known for creating joy and we share a passion for helping families stay active and healthy.”
