In a category first, food brand Birds Eye and retailer Iceland were awarded MSC UK Marketing Campaign of the Year at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) awards last night – with a multi-partner campaign marking the first of its kind for MSC UK.
The win came after their successful consumer brand campaign across media and social. Commissioned research finally settled the great fish finger “De-bait”, revealing the nation’s favourite way to enjoy the iconic fish finger sandwich, with MSC mentioned across the national press and featuring on foodie influencers’ posts and stories.
Customers were also offered ‘big sea savings’ for choosing MSC products from both Birds Eye and Iceland ranges, promoted through branded in-store marketing and social media activity. The campaign highlighted the importance of buying sustainably sourced seafood, so consumers can continue to enjoy seafood for generations to come.
The media results of the campaign amassed an impressive 59 pieces of coverage spanning national, broadcast, regional, consumer and trade titles with a reach of 1.8 billion.
Gemma Harrison, Senior Commercial Manager, Birds Eye, MSC Marketing Campaign of the Year: “It means a lot to us and I don’t think I could be more passionate about this. For us, it’s about bringing to life MSC and sustainability to help increase customer awareness and that’s a big thing in our organisation. We’ve already started talking about what we can do next year, so watch this space.”
Supermarket Lidl also scooped the MSC UK Marketing Champion of the Year award for their 2023-24 multi-media campaign – inspired by the bestselling MSC-certified lines to support MSC’s Sustainable Seafood September 2023 campaign and celebrate the retailer’s 7th year in a row of winning the MSC UK Mid-Sized Retailer award, a testament to their long-standing commitment to MSC and their shoppers.
In true Lidl fashion, the campaign was eye-catching and tongue-in-cheek, spanning multiple channels from social media, billboards and leaflets. The campaign was inspired by their beloved seafood selection from fish fingers and fish cakes to fresh prawns – all highlighting how Lidl offers a wide range of products and that consumers don’t need to compromise on quality, sustainability or price.
Lidl incorporated fresh and vibrant recipes that were accessible through multiple marketing touchpoints and were accessed by half a million customers during the campaign. The content helped educate consumers on what the MSC certification stands for, giving them the confidence to understand what they’re supporting and its impact. The retailer also won Bronze medal in the MSC UK Supermarket of the Year category.
Eloise Craven-Todd, Digital Marketing Manager at MSC UK & Ireland, said: “This year’s nominations for our marketing awards exemplified the commitment and creativity of our partners in encouraging UK consumers to shop more sustainably.
“With the Birds Eye and Iceland campaign, our judges loved seeing the power of a multi-partner initiative, longevity of point-of-sale marketing and mainstream reach of nationwide media coverage.
“Our judges also praised Lidl’s original creative, which was perfectly tailored to the supermarket’s shoppers, and the relevance of highlighting how sustainable choices can still be made in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
“Congratulations to our winners and thanks to all of our nominees, who have once again raised the bar for next year’s awards!”
Winners of the MSC’s annual awards were announced at last night’s ceremony in Plymouth’s major award-winning museum, art gallery and archive, The Box and hosted by London-based Scottish comedian and environmental economist, Dr. Matt Winning.
Leader of Plymouth City Council, Councillor Tudor Evans OBE welcomed guests to the awards saying: “These awards bring stakeholders together to celebrate excellence in sustainable fishing and seafood. And I would like to thank all those who have attended from across the Seafood business and wider sustainability spectrum; from key retailers to brands, foodservice businesses, suppliers, NGOs. Thank you for coming to Britain’s Ocean City.”
The MSC is an international non-profit organisation which sets globally recognised, science-based standards for sustainable fishing and assurance in the seafood supply chain. The eleventh MSC & ASC UK awards were held as a celebration of the commitment to sustainable seafood across the whole supply chain from ocean to plate. MSC & ASC UK awards 2024 are sponsored by Seafood Scotland, Plymouth City Council and Plymouth Gin.
Other highlights from the event include the delicious Tesco Finest Cornish Sardines in Tomato Sauce, which combine Cornish sardines in a rich tomato, black olive, caper and chilli sauce, being awarded MSC UK Product of the Year. The Product of the Year award was voted for by the public for the first time this year, in a move to encourage consumers to shop sustainably and increase knowledge of the sustainable seafood awards and winners.
