The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) will launch a consumer television advertising campaign on The Food Network beginning September 25, 2006.  The campaign is designed to promote wild and abundant Alaska seafood and prompt consumers to “Ask for Alaska” the next time they visit their favorite restaurants and grocery stores.  ASMI is reaching out to foodservice and retail customers like never before; and have contracted with television/movie actor and comedian, Ben Stein, to deliver its sustainable message and promote the benefits of wild Alaska seafood.

ASMI has a long history of providing its foodservice and retail customers with strong merchandising programs to drive sales of wild Alaska seafood.  These efforts have been and will continue to be strengthened through highly compelling consumer print advertising campaigns. Now ASMI casts an even wider net by fortifying these efforts with this series of commercial spots airing on The Food Network.  These spots are designed to inform, educate and entertain…and “Wild Ben’s” deadpan humor entertains with just the right amount of levity when he reminds us to, “Grab a fork, there’s a lot more out there.”

In an effort to keep messages consistent across all consumer, foodservice and retail markets, ASMI has created 30- and 15-second versions of three spots: All-Species, Salmon and Crab. All-Species and Salmon will air from September 25 through November 27, 2006 and will coincide with the fall and winter/holiday season. Crab will run October 30 through November 27, 2006 to coincide with the winter/holiday harvest. The media buy has been finely targeted and coverage includes prime time, prime access, daytime, early fringe and weekends.

The Food Network viewer is well aligned with the wild Alaska seafood customer.  The primary target customer is female, age 35 to 54 with an annual household income of $75,000 or above and she has a college degree.  She is a time pressed cook that wants to feed herself and her family a healthy, nutritious diet.  She cooks and or assembles these family meals when she finds time; and she is likely concerned with environmental causes.