The Icelandic agency Ceedr, in collaboration with TBWA in Copenhagen, recently delivered a marketing campaign promoting Danish herring. The campaign ran in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden, with a particular focus on the German market, which accounts for almost half of Denmark’s herring exports.
The initiative, commissioned by the Danish Pelagic Producers’ Organisation (DPPO), was a response to declining sales of herring in several European markets. Over the course of three months, the work focused on raising awareness among consumers aged 25–55 through social media channels.
Campaign Goals and Messaging
The “Herring 52” campaign positioned herring as a sustainable and nutritious food. Messages highlighted that herring is high in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, supports heart and brain health, and is a source of vitamins D, B12, and A. Attention was also drawn to herring’s relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods using the slogan: “Herring is pure goodness.”
Results
The campaign combined digital advertising with recipe content aimed at younger audiences. Outcomes included:
- 13 million impressions across the four target countries
- 2.9 million video views showcasing the benefits of herring
- 16,600 visits to a campaign landing page
According to Ceedr, the effort helped strengthen associations between herring, health, and sustainability, while generating measurable consumer interest.
Other Seafood Campaigns
This was not Ceedr’s first project in international seafood marketing. Earlier, the company collaborated on a campaign developed by SDG (Scandinavian Design Group) in Oslo, promoting Canadian yellowtail flounder as an alternative to local plaice among Swedish consumers for the Canadian Groundfish Fish Council. That initiative, reported by Fiskifréttir, was followed by a significant rise in sales of the Canadian species in Sweden. Going further back in time, Ceedr also worked with Iceland-based Pipar\TBWA on a campaign selling Arctic Char in the USA through Whole Foods Markets.
Icenews reached out to Valgeir Magnússon, who led the campaign for the Canadian Groundfish Fish Council for SDG in Norway. He stated that building a campaign where the brand and story are interesting and the point of difference is clear makes all the difference. B2B is not about being boring; it’s about delivering selling points. It is just as B2C about feeling and connections, just with a more targeted audience.