Fish market(ing)

Doubting Thomas - I have a confession. I love those tourism ads for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Normally I try to tune out commercials, but while living away I would look up from a book or the computer just to watch those ads. Now that I'm back on the rock, I still love and watch those commercials.

Tourism operators appreciate the ads too. One business owner I spoke with for a story a few weeks ago said many of his customers admit the commercials are what first drew them to the island.

We all like to think we're immune to advertising, but the truth is good advertising works. And it seems that the provincial tourism ad campaign is working. Tourism numbers remained strong last year despite dire warnings of the recession.

What the province needs to do now is hire the same ad agency to promote Newfoundland seafood in the same way it's promoting our tourism potential.

Just as the tourism ads don't really promote any single business, these seafood ads would not need to mention any single processor. They would just need to sell the message that seafood from Newfoundland is of superior quality to products from other areas. It would allow processors to charge a premium for their product, and pay fishers a better price for the catch.

Just as Digby Scallops command a better price than plain old scallops, Newfoundland Cod, Newfoundland Lobster and Newfoundland Crab could be premium, high-end products if marketed correctly.

That's not to say that these products aren't already high-end. In quality, they are. It's the price that we need to raise. We've already got the steak. We just need to sell the sizzle.

The province has already put the offer forward to the fish processors association to help set up a marketing board. The processors said thanks but no thanks. Perhaps the next step would be to go to the FFAW and partner with them to start a marketing campaign.

It matters not who is behind the ads. Marketing our seafood as a distinctive product is going to be one important step in rebuilding the fishery. Low prices aren't the only problem, but addressing them would be a good start.

reporter@gulfnews.ca