The National Fisheries Institute recently launched a new shrimp-branding campaign through Facebook.
Tapping into the social media network’s 500 million users, the branded “Eat Shrimp” Facebook page has reached nearly 13,000 fans since its launch during Lent.
Fans and guest bloggers have shared recipes, talked nutrition and versatility and participated in numerous contests executed by NFI’s Shrimp Council. The page also features an “Ask the Expert” section.
“[The Facebook page] is a compliment to our traditional public relations methods so it was an opportunity for us to launch into the social media space,” said Judy Dashiell, NFI’s senior VP. “We were excited to do that because there’s not really anybody else in the seafood industry that has taken that big of a step into Facebook.
“We hope to accomplish raising the profile of shrimp. Folks who are our fans are people who love shrimp and we want to encourage them to eat more shrimp. The response has been really fantastic.”
Dashiell said fans of the page have been interactive; the page gets multiple responses to polls and questions, and it has all been positive.
“In the Facebook medium your language is a little different, a little more casual, and we’ve taken a very friendly tone and a very positive tone about eating shrimp,” she said. “The folks who are going to the site are really passionate about eating shrimp.”
During the next financial quarter the council plans to expand the page. For example, a survey will be launched. “In the past, whenever we wanted to do consumer research we had to go out and purchase names to survey, but not with our fan base, we can use our fans to ask questions about eating shrimp, thoughts on eating shrimp, what would make them more likely to eat more shrimp,” said Dashiell.
While the Shrimp Council will not eliminate traditional public relations efforts, the new social media campaign will go hand-in-hand with traditional media pushes.
“It’s the wave of the future,” said Dashiell.
