The Aquaculture Stewardship Council launches its largest ever public marketing campaign

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council is launching its largest public-facing marketing campaign as the organization seeks to tell the story of sustainable aquaculture to consumers.

The new marketing campaign will have a strong US focus, emphasizing local market promotions. The “New way to eat seafood» the campaign will aim to dispel lies and public misconceptions about seafood and showcase the work the ASC has done since the program’s inception.

“We realize that now is the time to tell the story to the public and explain to them that farmed seafood is not what you thought. It’s getting better,” Marketing Director ASC USA Mark Lang told SeafoodSource during Seafood Expo North America 2022. “Not all certifications are equal, some are stronger and these lead to an even stronger future. And it’s the new way to eat seafood, and it’s our campaign. It’s a critical mass, it’s time to start telling that story.

The organization plans to bring ASC-certified seafood to university and college dining halls across the United States. According to Lang, the ASC will visit 22 college campuses in March across the country to showcase products from responsible aquaculture. The focus on college campuses is part of an effort to reach younger consumers, who often have more questions about the food they eat. Lang said.

“They ask a lot of questions. They want to be durable, but they want proof,” Lang said. “That’s what we bring to the table, so it’s time to talk to them.”

The ASC also plans to organize events in Miami, Minneapolis and Philadelphia to include in-store tastings, food shows, food weeks, media events, etc. Lang said more cities will be added to the CSA road show in the future.

“We have high profile media events. We have social and digital things happening. But what we think is really interesting with our program now is that we’re going out there,” Lang said. “We want to go from town to town, get together one-on-one, boots on the ground, sleeves rolled up, taste the product, tell our story with chefs and culinary directors and retail buyers.

The campaign represents the biggest investment the ASC has ever made in marketing to the public, Lang said.

“The organization is making its biggest communications investment in this campaign that it has made in its history,” Lang said. “This is a groundbreaking campaign for them internationally and historic, because now is the time to do it in this market.”

Photo courtesy of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council