Tuna stars in new ‘easy as’ ad campaign to promote Australian seafood

Cooking Australian seafood is easy as.

That’s the tagline of the first whole-of-industry marketing campaign launched this week under the nation’s new flagship brand, Great Australian Seafood, to encourage more Aussies to eat locally-caught seafood.

Tuna is one of the 12 main species starring in the campaign, alongside other species such as Atlantic salmon, barramundi, prawns, oysters and flathead.

“Australian tuna is some of the best in the world. It’s sustainably sourced, of premium quality, tastes great and is packed full of essential micronutrients needed for good health,” said David Ellis, Tuna Australia CEO.

“Tuna Australia and our members are proud to be part of this marketing initiative that will deliver a boost to the whole Australian seafood industry.”

Tuna recipes featured on the new Great Australian Seafood website include the easy as fresh Australia tuna poke bowl and tuna baked in paper parcels.

‘A win-win for all of us’

The marketing campaign, overseen by Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), was developed as part of a $4 million grant funded by the Australian Government under the $1 billion COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.

Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries Jonno Duniam said encouraging more domestic consumption of Australian seafood was important for the industry’s survival and recovery through the COVID-19 crisis.

“It’s been an incredibly tough year for Australia’s seafood sector and they need our support,” Assistant Minister Duniam said.

“The seafood industry was the first and worst hit when export markets virtually shut down overnight at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fortunately, every Australian can play a role in helping our fishers, and it’s as simple as eating some Aussie seafood. That’s a win-win for all of us.

Inspiring consumers

The campaign, which premiered on November 8, sees the industry establish its first whole-of-industry brand similar to Australian other key protein and agricultural products.

“We’re incredibly excited to launch the Great Australian Seafood brand along with our ‘Easy As’ campaign,” SIA Media and Communications Manager Jessica McInerney said in an SIA statement.

“The campaign has been structured to influence and inspire consumers to add more Australian seafood into their diets.

We want to break the mindset of consumers thinking cooking seafood is hard to cook, by reminding them it’s actually ‘Easy As’.

McInerney said the campaign “celebrates Australian seafood, its ties to Aussie culture, and importantly encourages each and every Australian to eat more Aussie seafood.”

“We’ve tapped into what makes us Aussies, Aussies, and we hope people will have a laugh and of course, throw another prawn on BBQ,” she said.

A long-term vision

The 12-month campaign includes consumer-facing advertising across all regional and metro TV and streaming platforms, out of home including shopping centres, street furniture and roadside, digital activations and partnerships.

“We’re realistic about what we want to achieve and the timescales required,” said SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta in a statement.

“We know we won’t change national attitudes overnight, which is why the Great Australian Seafood brand is a long-term initiative designed to build a relationship with the nation.

“We want to inspire a generational shift in attitude towards seafood consumption and with that industry. We want to continue to tell our incredible industry’s story well into the future,” she said.