British Tomatoes

We’ve got a truly remarkable record in fruit and veg, with two Award-winning campaigns under our belt!

When we suggested that British growers put rock bands in their glasshouses to encourage the pollination process (yes, it was scientifically based) they thought we were mad – but agreed to play along. And so ‘Sex, Bugs and Rock ’n’ Roll’ was launched and certainly put the British Tomato Growers and their new branding on the map – with the story widely picked up by national and regional television and newspapers up and down the UK.

Our work over the years for the growers, also covered promoting the health benefits of lycopene with campaigns run in association with Cancer UK and involving top footballers – and a focus on the role lycopene can play in preventing prostate cancer.

Ensuring that British product was sampled by foodwriters, to help correct misconceptions about quality and to demonstrate the wide variety on offer, was an important element of the campaign over the four years we worked for the growers.

“The persuasive and professional approach which gained Hammond the account went on to achieve outstanding publicity for the TGA and its members. These successes were not easily won. The British tomato industry had been having a tough time economically, but Hammond’s great strength was to identify opportunities and develop highly innovative approaches to exploit them – from the hard hitting to the humorous – and stimulate and enthuse the industry with the commitment to support and actively take part in promotional campaigns. In the words of one of their PR award judges, they have made tomatoes sexy. Last, but by no means least, they were great fun to work with.”
Gerry Hayman, Executive Officer - British Tomato Growers’ Association

Jersey Royals

This award-winning campaign started with our response to a brief to create national mainstream news coverage to highlight the arrival of the first Jersey Royal of the season and communicate the exclusivity, quality and unique flavour of the product. The term ‘brown gold’ was coined and linked to a story about potato poaching on the islands. The resulting ‘Mash and Grab’ story achieved 8 minutes on GMTV and generated coverage in five national newspapers and 31 regional daily newspapers.

“…my congratulations to whoever manufactured this wonderful spoof, for the free and extensive publicity it engendered from such stalwart broadsheets as ‘The Thunderer’ and The Guardian…”