Young’s Seafood is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its invention of scampi with a major new campaign.
The campaign will promote the Grimsby, United Kingdom-based supplier’s scampi range, its history, and inspiration for “new ways to enjoy the nation’s favorite,” Young’s said in a press release.
The demand in the U.K. for scampi has surged, as more than a million new shoppers added scampi to their grocery basket over the past year, the company said in a press release.
Young’s Scampi is the top brand in the category, with sales of GBP 37 million (USD 52 million, EUR 43 million) across its full branded range for the first time, according to the supplier. The frozen range includes Gastro Wholetail and Jumbo Wholetail, Young’s Scampi, and Popcorn Scampi Bites.
The effort is a spinoff of Young’s multimillion pound “Masters of Fish” campaign, which launched early last year to showcase Young’s 200 years of history producing seafood. The movie-like creative features four “Masters of Fish” – ordinary people who demonstrate how Young’s expertise helps them master different meal occasions.
“We’ve been perfecting fish for more than 200 years and this couldn’t be more true for our Scampi journey,” Young’s Marketing Manager Keely Wade said. “From the invention of scampi 75 years ago to now, we’ve continually innovated to ensure there’s a delicious scampi option for everyone and every occasion.”
The new campaign, which includes TV and online advertising, retailer promotions, social media, and public relations, will transform Young’s movie-like “Masters of Fish” creative into “Masters of Scampi” for the month of June.
Young’s invented scampi in 1946 as a result of a lobster shortage after World War II. A chef at the Ritz hotel in London wanted to serve lobster to his guests, and Young’s offered him langoustine as an alternative. The chef cut the langoustine into pieces, deep-fried them, and scampi was born, according to Young’s.
Shortly after that, Young’s started selling frozen scampi, and ever since it has become a “firm family favorite in homes, restaurants, and chip shops across the U.K.,” Young’s said.
Photo courtesy of Young's Seafood
