McLEAN, Va. – In honor of American Heart Month, which takes place each year in February, The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Salmon Council introduced an online campaign to draw consumer attention to the incredible heart-health benefits of salmon. The promotion also emphasized the need for Americans to eat more seafood, for their physical well-being.
The Salmon Council combined the powerful influence of blogs and social media with some tempting new recipes to illuminate for consumers the importance of a heart-healthy diet – one that regularly includes salmon and other seafood, of course.
To drive home the connections between seafood and health, the council joined forces with DeLallo Italian Foods and two notable food blogs – This Week for Dinner and Julie’s Eats & Treats – to arrive at unique salmon-and-orzo recipes that helped deliver the messages in tantalizing fashion. The blogs’ creators – Jane Maynard (of This Week for Dinner) and Julie Evink (of Julie’s Eats & Treats) – helped reinforce the health-related communications, acting as Salmon Council blogger ambassadors on their respective websites and in other social media posts.
“While heart health is an important topic year-round, American Heart Month provides a natural forum for heightening the chatter with consumers, to make sure they know how necessary seafood – and particularly salmon – is for ensuring a healthy heart and also for optimal overall health,” said Judy Dashiell, Senior Vice President with the National Fisheries Institute. “Whether we influence Americans to order salmon next time they’re at a restaurant or to try a new seafood recipe at home, the goal is to generate conversations, increase knowledge, and influence purchasing habits.”
Creative Cooking
In addition to highlighting the nutritional benefits of salmon, The Salmon Council and DeLallo locked arms in an effort to help consumers think outside the box when it comes to recipes. The promotional partners featured online posts by both of the blogger ambassadors, who were tasked with creating original recipes that not only featured salmon, but also incorporated DeLallo’s Organic Whole Wheat Orzo.
“We understand that some consumers are intimidated by preparing salmon, but the Council was able to show that it is delicious, versatile and quite easy to prepare,” remarked Dashiell. “Thanks to DeLallo’s hearty Organic Whole Wheat Orzo and the creativity of our blogger ambassadors, the American Heart Month promotion resulted in exceptional, one-of-a-kind recipes that showcased this versatility and highlighted how mouthwatering salmon truly is.”
The culinary geniuses behind the two featured blogs created the following recipes:
– Southwestern Salmon & Orzo Salad, by This Week for Dinner
– Light Italian One-Pot Salmon and Orzo, by Julie’s Eats & Treats
Through a combination of blog readership and social media cross promotion involving the bloggers and DeLallo Italian Foods, The Salmon Council’s American Heart Month campaign recorded more than 2 million online impressions.
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About The Salmon Council
The Salmon Council was formed in January 2013 by the National Fisheries Institute. The council’s mission is to promote salmon as a high-quality, healthy and delicious fish, packed with protein and dozens of nutrients to support heart and brain health. Members of The Salmon Council source wild-caught and farm-raised salmon both domestically and from around the world.
Current members include Agrosuper, BlueMar Seafoods, Bumble Bee SeaFoods, High Liner Foods, Hofseth International AS/Mazzetta Company, Icicle Seafoods, Inland Seafood, King & Prince Seafood Corporation, Marine Harvest USA, Morey's Seafood International, Multiexport Foods, Norwegian Seafood Council, SalmonChile, Slade Gorton & Company, Trapananda Seafarms and Trident Seafood Corporation.
About The National Fisheries Institute
The National Fisheries Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education about seafood safety, sustainability and nutrition. From seagoing vessels to favorite seafood restaurants, NFI’s diverse member companies bring delicious fish and shellfish to American families. NFI promotes the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines that suggest Americans include fish and shellfish in their diets twice per week, for longer, healthier lives.
NFI and its members are committed to sustainable management of our oceans and to being stewards of our environment, through the institute’s endorsement of the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Fisheries. Our investment in our oceans today will provide our children and future generations the health benefits of a plentiful supply of fish and seafood tomorrow.
From responsible aquaculture, to a marketplace supporting free trade, to ensuring consumers and the media have the facts about the health benefits of fish and shellfish, NFI and its members support and promote sound public policy based on ground-truth science.
About the George DeLallo Company
The George DeLallo Company is a family owned and operated Italian foods manufacturer and distributor based in Jeannette, Pa., just outside of Pittsburgh. Along with specialty Italian products, the company offers a full line of olives and antipasti. Founded on a passion for great food and generations of family tradition, DeLallo for more than 60 years has made it easy to enjoy the best of the Mediterranean.
Source: The Salmon Council