Alabama Gulf Seafood – The Big Ask:
How do you make positive waves in the wake of a brand crisis?
The Big Challenge:
Alabama Gulf Seafood faced skepticism about product quality after the BP Oil spill. Alabama's lingering negative media coverage maintained consumer doubts. There was a need to quickly rebuild trust and restore the industry's reputation in a highly-competitive market.
The Big Insight:
We believed we could rebuild consumer trust by creating an emotional connection between Alabama residents and their seafood heritage. Emphasizing how the industry is tied to state identity and framing seafood consumption as an expression of regional pride and support could turn skeptical consumers into strong advocates.
Alabama's culinary and fishing industries, photographed by Wes Frazer.
How we went Big:
We built a brand around Alabama Gulf Seafood and cultivated fandom around its product supply chain. This created a rallying cry around the fisherman, oyster farmers and distributors behind seafood and giving it deeper purpose with a lifestyle brand that would celebrate a way of life through an integrated, statewide campaign. We expanded our reach beyond Alabama's borders, elevating seafood from product to lifestyle statement, making Alabama Gulf Seafood a symbol of coastal identity that people proudly associated with.
How we went bigger:
Documentary storytelling humanized the industry by building emotional investment in the real people behind the catch. Cultural partnerships, particularly with the Hangout Music Festival and a collaboration with renowned fashion designer and Alabama native Billy Reid, didn't just repair a damaged brand. They created a premium positioning that competitors couldn't replicate, allowing Alabama Gulf Seafood to command higher prices while building a loyal customer base who saw purchasing as an act of community support rather than just a food choice.
The Big Results:
*These stats cover years 2021-2024
2.7B+
Paid, Earned, Owned Media Impressions + Event Attendance
1M+
Social Community Engagements
58K+
Total Followers
529K+
Website Visits