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Supply of Avocados from Mexico Cut Short by U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

Before the Super Bowl on Sunday, Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla boasted about the state’s avocado sales on Twitter, writing that “regardless of who wins the game today, the avocado produced in Michoacán is already the real winner of the night.”

I like the confidence and I love avocados, but I don’t like burying the lede with PR puffery.

Here’s the lede: The U.S. on Friday suspended all avocado imports from Michoacán, the only Mexican state-approved for avocado exports, after a U.S. plant inspector there received a threatening phone call.

The suspension will remain in place “for as long as necessary to ensure the appropriate actions are taken” to guarantee the safety of employees in Mexico, Suzanne Bond, a spokesperson for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said.

For years, criminal groups have fought for control of the avocado trade, extorting orchard owners and illegally seizing land to grow their own groves, according to LA Times.

Mexico exports 80% of its avocado supply to the United States, according to the USDA.

The Brand’s Super Bowl LVI Spot

Can you imagine the stress that this ban on avocado exports created for the leaders of the trade group, Avocados from Mexico? The brand just invested millions in a Super Bowl LVI spot. And then their product disappears from supermarket shelves? That’s harsh.

Let’s give their commercial another look.

The spot is theatrical. Thankfully, the product sells itself—few Americans need much enticement when it comes to eating guacamole and other dishes made with avocados.

Real-Time Avocado Mashups on Twitter

Avocados from Mexico’s social media team brought the heat on Sunday. They humorously riffed on ads from other brands in what seemed like real-time.

Since people at parties and on their own couches were watching ads with a keener interest than usual, I like how Avocados from Mexico fit themselves into the existing conversation on social with fast, funny, and relevant content.

About David Burn

David Burn is the co-founder, editor, and publisher of Adpulp.com. David joined the ad agency business in 1997 as a copywriter and then worked for seven agencies in five states prior to launching Bonehook in 2010. Today, David is a writer, brand strategist, and leader of creative teams in Austin, TX.