Alabama Gulf Seafood: Genuine Goodness

Historically, Alabama processes more oysters than any other state in the country. From 53 miles of brief but beautiful coastline, the hard-working men and women of the Alabama Seafood Industry set out every day to haul in the bounty of the sea. And when we were given the opportunity to work with the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission, we set out to make Alabama Gulf Seafood a household name. As we began our work, we took our inspiration from the real-life visual language of Coastal Alabama itself. The weathered elegance of the vessels; the honest beauty of a hard day’s work; the unflinching devotion in the face of a fourth generation fisherman. They presented a perspective that was powerful, authentic and genuinely different.

Of course, the fishermen, shrimpers, oyster tongers and processors were more than just inspiration. They became the soul of our campaign. What makes Alabama seafood different from Florida seafood or Louisiana seafood? According to our research into perceptions of Gulf seafood, nothing—except the people who catch it.

That’s what makes Alabama Gulf Seafood special: the Alabamians who seek it out, haul it in, and bring it to us. Couple that with the knowledge that your dinner is so fresh it was probably in the ocean yesterday, and what you’ve got is a real premium product—as well as a very appetizing formula for success.

In developing our campaign, it quickly became apparent that the website would be the linchpin of our work–a big, robust resource for anyone seeking Alabama Gulf Seafood. The site is packed with compelling content for longtime seafood lovers and new fans alike: where to find it, when it’s in season, how to catch it and how to prepare it yourself.

The campaign has already garnered nationwide attention, benefiting from smart partnerships with fellow Alabama Seafood fans like the ubiquitous Southern Living magazine and meteoric fashion designer Billy Reid (learn more about the Billy Reid collaboration on our blog). And we haven’t even completed phase one yet. Stay tuned.