The U.S. Tuna Foundation selected Marriner Marketing Communications out of 20 other agencies to run the marketing account for the billion-dollar domestic U.S. tuna industry.
The Columbia firm will handle advertising and public relations for the U.S. Tuna Foundation, which represents the interests of Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist tuna. The campaign's focus will be on promoting tuna sold in cans and pouches. Marriner declined to disclose the size of the account.
Carol Whitman, a spokeswoman at Marriner Marketing, said the account differs from traditional advertising because it focuses on a generic product rather than a specific brand. Such a campaign would be similar to how beef, milk and pork are promoted to the masses. "It makes it not only different for us, but for most of the advertising industry," Whitman said.
Melanie Miller, marketing director for the U.S. Tuna Foundation, said the campaign will be rolled out in test markets in September.