Taste the EXTRAordinary: a campaign to introduce people to PDO olive oils and olives

For three years, France Olive has been running the ‘Taste the EXTRAordinary – PDO olive oils and olives: authenticity and excellence’ programme to raise awareness of the richness, flavours and commitments of PDO olive products.

Why this programme?

Consumers are increasingly looking for products whose origin, production methods and history they are familiar with. However, PDO olive oils and olives are still not widely recognised, and their variety of flavours and unique characteristics are not sufficiently well known.

With ‘Taste the EXTRAordinary’, France Olive aims to raise the profile of these products and make it easier for people to discover them. The campaign will highlight what makes them unique: terroirs, varieties, expertise, flavour profiles and culinary uses that invite people to rediscover the pleasures of the table.

The programme also aims to promote sustainable consumption: gaining a better understanding of the products, their origins and the practices that shape them, so that consumers can make more informed choices, whilst helping to promote local regions, landscapes and supply chains.

The campaign’s objectives

The campaign has two main objectives:

• To raise awareness of PDO olive oils and olives, in particular by increasing recognition of their logo and their presence within the olive oil sector.
• To promote a better understanding of their values, notably the diversity of flavours, the link to local terroirs, traceability, expertise and production practices.

Over the three-year duration of the programme, the aim is to increase recognition of the PDO logo by 15 per cent and understanding of its values and distinctive features amongst the target audiences by 10 per cent.

Who is the ‘Taste the EXTRAordinary’ campaign aimed at?

The campaign is aimed primarily at all lovers of good food and cooking, with a particular focus on three groups:

• Gourmets and food lovers, keen to discover distinctive products, flavour pairings and culinary experiences.
• People aged 25–40, through inspiring content tailored to modern lifestyles: quick meals, plant-based recipes, appetisers, savoury breakfasts and street food.
• Olive oil consumers who are unfamiliar with PDO, to help them recognise these products more easily and understand their benefits.

Journalists, the media, content creators, chefs, specialist buyers and retailers are also being enlisted to act as information relays to the general public. French and international tourists are also among the target audiences, particularly as part of the website is available in English.

How the campaign will come to life

‘Taste the EXTRAordinary’ is based on a lively, accessible and decidedly gourmet approach to communication. It will bring together information, culinary inspiration and tasting experiences centred on four main themes:

• Flavour, exploring the aromatic profiles, flavour pairings and diversity of PDO olive oils and olives.
• Origin and craftsmanship, to better connect the products with their regions and the people who produce them.
• Commitments, by highlighting practices that respect the environment, biodiversity and the local economy.
• Creativity in the kitchen, to demonstrate that PDO olive oils and olives have a place in every moment of daily life.

In practical terms, the programme includes, in particular:

• a dedicated website, linked to France Olive’s digital ecosystem, featuring articles, recipes, practical content and a press section;
• content on social media: recipes, short videos, educational visuals, games and interactive formats;
• digital campaigns, collaborations with content creators and a presence on affinity media;
• press relations, including press kits, press releases and events for journalists and influencers;
• recipes, videos, photographs, infographics and booklets to inspire and guide discovery;
• remote tastings for journalists, influencers and specialist buyers;
• the PDO Olive Oil & Olive Days, featuring masterclasses, cookery workshops and tasting meals for journalists, buyers and influencers in several French cities.

A programme designed to last

The content and tools created throughout the campaign will be designed to continue to be used after the programme’s three-year run. The website, photo library, videos, recipes and educational materials can be reused and expanded upon by France Olive, the Maison des Huiles d’Olive et Olives de France, as well as stakeholders from the various PDO initiatives.

‘Taste the EXTRAordinary’ invites everyone to explore PDO olive oils and olives in a new way: through taste, through cooking and through discovering products deeply rooted in their local areas.