State of the Arts – California Avocado | Clapboard Ad Archive

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State of the arts - California Avocado Commission | Clapboard Ad Archive

The California Avocado Commission’s 2016 State of the arts campaign, developed by Mullen for the Recreation and Leisure market, redefined the boundaries of out-of-home branding with a striking public art installation in San Francisco’s SoMa district. Anchored by a vibrant mural on Folsom Street that fuses the instantly recognizable Bay Area landscape with the unique visual identity of California avocados, the work stands as a bold exercise in place-based storytelling and cultural alignment. Rather than default to category conventions or celebrity frontmen, the creative collaboration with an acclaimed muralist placed the process — from initial concept to completion — at the center of the narrative, immersing audiences in the artistry that underpins the state’s most iconic fruit. The campaign’s power derived from its ability to tie the brand to local pride and creative expression, foregrounding California avocados as much a part of the region’s culture as its art, skyline, and urban energy. By leveraging the OOH medium and positioning the mural in a high-footfall urban hub, Mullen ensured the brand lived in the daily pulse of the city, engaging residents and travelers alike with a distinctive visual touchpoint that transcended typical advertising. The behind-the-scenes storytelling offered further depth, giving audiences a look into the creative process and inviting them to view avocados as more than an ingredient — as a symbol of California’s inventive ethos and lifestyle. This approach sits squarely in what Clapboard’s taxonomy defines as FORMAT#11—Unique Personality Property, with the narrative harnessing the murals' origin, artistry, and regional specificity to establish the avocado as a product whose appeal is rooted in provenance and cultural connection rather than functional claims or traditional storytelling. Clapboard rates this campaign 63/100. In a category often dominated by conventional messaging or product-centric appeals, State of the arts signals how immersive brand storytelling and genuine creative partnerships can unlock deeper relevance in consumers’ lived environments.

Credits

Client

California Avocado Commission

Agency

Mullen

Vice President Marketing

Jan DeLyser

Online Marketing Director

Zac Benedict

Executive Creative Director

Margaret Keene

Creative Director

Scott Model, Patrick Simkins

Account Management

Kristyn Dunlap, Rebecca Wojcicki, Alli Blender

Art Director

Lauren Malizia

Crew

Ashley Carr, Brandon Kuzma

Category Mind Map

48%

The 'State of the arts' campaign by the California Avocado Commission employs outdoor advertising to merge the cultural significance of avocados with the vibrant artistic identity of San Francisco’s SoMa district. By commissioning a mural created by renowned artist John Van Hamersveld, the campaign situates California avocados within an elevated creative context, reinforcing the brand’s promise to be not only a staple in cuisine but also an emblem of California’s dynamic lifestyle and artistic heritage. This narrative approach positions the avocado as an iconic, aspirational product linked to quality, creativity, and local pride. Strategically, the campaign leverages the intersection of art and regional identity to engage a leisure-oriented, culturally attuned audience likely to value both aesthetic expression and lifestyle authenticity. Targeting urban consumers in the Bay Area—an influential market for trend-conscious food and recreation enthusiasts—the campaign uses a high-visibility, location-specific mural as a tangible touchpoint. The behind-the-scenes video content further extends the narrative, offering transparency and a sense of participation in the creative process, which deepens audience connection and brand affinity. The campaign’s integration of visual storytelling with experiential elements reflects an insight that consumers respond strongly to brands that embed themselves naturally into their chosen environments and lifestyles, ensuring relevance and memorability in a competitive leisure market.

FORMAT#11 UNIQUE PERSONALITY PROPERTY — Highlights a unique feature, origin, or distinctive product identity. This campaign centers on the creation of a mural by renowned artist John Van Hamersveld, connecting California’s iconic landscapes and its famed avocados. Rather than dramatizing a problem, telling a traditional story, or using a celebrity as an endorser, the campaign spotlights the origin, cultural context, and artistry associated with California avocados. The narrative follows the mural’s inspiration and creation, emphasizing the brand’s distinctive place-based identity and artistic collaboration. This positions California avocados as unique, creative, and inherently tied to local culture, perfectly matching the 'Unique Personality Property' format. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Hass Avocado Board – Positioned as the leading authority and marketing collective for Hass avocados, this organization focuses on promoting usage occasions, health benefits, and versatility, aiming to drive increased consumption through data-driven insights and strong retailer partnerships. 2. Mission Produce – A major global supplier emphasizing quality, sustainability, and innovation in avocado sourcing and distribution, Mission Produce leverages vertical integration and brand reliability to ensure freshness and consistent supply for both consumers and commercial buyers. 3. Calavo Growers – Combining marketing prowess with supply chain expertise, Calavo Growers differentiates itself by promoting ripe-and-ready avocado experiences and offering value-added produce solutions, targeting both retail consumers and the foodservice industry. 4. Del Monte Fresh Produce – With a broad fresh produce portfolio, Del Monte leverages extensive global distribution networks and trusted brand presence to position its avocados as convenient, quality-driven options that fit healthy, active lifestyles in the leisure and travel sectors. 5. Dole Food Company – Dole emphasizes freshness, nutrition, and global reach, marketing its avocados as part of a tropical, wholesome lifestyle while leveraging its wide brand recognition and strong retail relationships to appeal to health-conscious consumers within recreation and leisure categories.

Q: What is State of the arts about? A: State of the arts is a 2016 outdoor campaign created by Mullen for the California Avocado Commission, launched in the United States. The campaign centers on a large-scale mural in San Francisco’s SoMa district, designed by renowned artist John Van Hamersveld. By blending the iconic Bay Area landscape with the imagery of California avocados, the campaign uses public art to forge a strong connection between the brand and local culture. Through behind-the-scenes video content and a prominent urban installation, State of the arts positions California avocados as both a culinary staple and a symbol of creative, regional identity within the recreation and leisure market. Q: What creative device does State of the arts use? A: State of the arts employs FORMAT#11 UNIQUE PERSONALITY PROPERTY, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach highlights a unique feature or origin story—in this case, the distinctive identity of California avocados as expressed through a collaborative mural with artist John Van Hamersveld. Rather than relying on traditional storytelling or celebrity endorsement, the campaign spotlights the cultural and artistic context of the product, using the mural’s creation as a narrative device to reinforce the brand’s place-based authenticity and creative spirit. Q: What is the campaign proposition for State of the arts? A: The campaign proposition for State of the arts positions California Avocado Commission as a brand that merges the cultural significance of avocados with the vibrant artistic identity of San Francisco’s SoMa district. By commissioning a mural from John Van Hamersveld, the campaign elevates California avocados as an emblem of the state’s dynamic lifestyle and artistic heritage. Targeting urban, leisure-oriented consumers who value authenticity and creativity, the campaign leverages visual storytelling and experiential engagement to embed the brand within the local environment, enhancing relevance and resonance in a competitive leisure market. Q: How does State of the arts rank in Clapboard's archive? A: State of the arts holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, the quality of its execution, and its cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in California Avocado Commission's category? A: In the avocado and fresh produce sector, California Avocado Commission competes with several major players. The Hass Avocado Board leads with a focus on usage occasions and health benefits, while Mission Produce emphasizes quality, sustainability, and supply chain innovation. Calavo Growers differentiates itself through ripe-and-ready offerings and value-added solutions, targeting both retail and foodservice. Del Monte Fresh Produce leverages global distribution and a trusted brand to position its avocados as convenient, quality-driven options, and Dole Food Company markets avocados as part of a wholesome, active lifestyle, drawing on broad brand recognition and retail reach.