| Texas
Launches Marketing Campaign Designed to Net
New
Opportunities for Texas Shrimp Producers
by D’Anne Stites, Coordinator, Texas Shrimp Marketing Program,
Texas
Department of Agriculture
Marketing is always critical to
raise awareness and boost sales and, in tough
times, it is absolutely essential. As anyone
in the shrimp industry knows, times are definitely
tough. Imported shrimp and other market factors
have created instability within the domestic
shrimp industry. As the nation’s leader
in farm-raised shrimp and a leading producer
of wild-caught shrimp, Texas has plenty to lose.
However, rather than sit back and let outside
forces dictate the future, the Texas shrimp industry
came together to support state legislation in
2003 launching a comprehensive Texas shrimp marketing
campaign within the Texas Department of Agriculture
(TDA).
Under the new program, TDA is charged
to promote and market Texas-produced shrimp,
both
farm-raised
and wild-caught, and to educate the public
about the Texas shrimp industry. The marketing
effort
is funded by surcharges on aquaculture licenses
issued by TDA and on bay and gulf shrimp boat
licenses issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department. Federal disaster assistance dollars
also provide funding. Input on program activities
is provided by the Texas Shrimp Marketing Program
Advisory Committee, a panel representing all
sectors of the Texas shrimp industry.
The shrimp
marketing program was modeled on two other
successful TDA campaigns for Texas
oysters and Texas wines. Both included a multifaceted
marketing plan targeting consumers, wholesalers,
food service professionals and retailers. Impact
figures for the wine program showed a 900 percent
return on investment through increased sales
of Texas wines in 2002. Results for the oyster
campaign show Texas oyster sales increased
by $6 million annually during the time TDA conducted
its oyster marketing efforts.
To spotlight Texas
shrimp, TDA developed a strong and focused marketing
plan to establish goals
for shrimp marketing. The plan includes educating
the public on the importance and value of buying
Texas shrimp and directly linking sellers with
buyers through online resources, promotional
materials and outreach. The goal of the program
is not only to raise awareness about Texas shrimp,
but also to encourage buyers to ask for and seek
out shrimp from Texas for flavor and freshness.
With funding in place by November 2003, the first
step was to create a high-profile and distinguishable
Texas shrimp logo to offer a brand identity.
Next, TDA created several different marketing
slogans to accompany the logo. “Celebrate
the Catch of Texas” was selected as the
primary tagline to further distinguish Texas
shrimp from its competitors and spotlight a Texas-proud
message.
TDA established a toll-free number,
(877) TX-CATCH, for interested buyers to call
for information
on purchasing Texas shrimp. A Texas shrimp Web
site was launched at www.txshrimp.org. The Web
site includes recipes, selection and handling
information, links to Texas shrimp wholesalers,
a chef’s corner and other
features.
Promotional materials include a
series of Texas shrimp recipe cards from original
recipes
submitted
by top Texas chefs, a Texas shrimp wholesaler
brochure, an introductory one-page point-of-sale
information card, keychains, shrimp deveiners
and other eye-catching items. High-profile
visual displays and a trade show exhibition booth
were
also created to add appeal at marketing functions.
Similar
to its other successful marketing programs, TDA’s
marketing approach for spreading the message
includes targeting a wide array of
buyers, including retailers, foodservice professionals
and direct consumers. TDA works to reach these
audiences through participation in activities
such as trade shows, festivals, food fairs, press
events, retail promotions, cooking classes and
cooking demonstrations. Print advertising is
also used to spread the word. All of TDA’s
advertisements include a call to action to measure
success. For instance, a series of advertisements
in Texas Monthly magazine touted the Texas shrimp
recipe cards and led to requests from across
the state and the country.
TDA partners with Texas
chefs, restaurants and grocery chains to market
and promote Texas shrimp
in addition to participating in trade shows and
specialty food events. In January 2004, TDA worked
with Chef Randy Evans of Brennan’s restaurant
in Houston at the Texas Restaurant Association’s
Cantina show to sample Shrimp Remoulade and Creole
Barbecue Shrimp. TDA also exhibited at the well-attended
International Boston Seafood Show. In Boston,
Chef David Garrido of Jeffrey’s restaurant
in Austin treated crowds to delectable Texas
shrimp recipes, including a featured dish made
from farm-raised Texas shrimp. Chef Kevin Williamson
also promoted Texas shrimp at the Fancy Food
Show in New York. This summer, TDA will participate
in the Texas Restaurant Association Southwest
Foodservice Expo and the Louisiana Restaurant
Association Show, where TDA will compete in the
Great American Seafood Cookoff with Chef Connie
Swearingen, executive chef for Texas GovernorRick
Perry.
TDA also established new ties with
Texas grocery chains including H-E-B Grocery
Company,
H-E-B’s
upscale Central Market, Brookshire’s, Whole
Foods, Sun Harvest and Fiesta Mart. Each store
promotes shrimp with pricing specials, sampling,
cooking classes and other marketing opportunities.
Educational
efforts include working with culinary schools
and programs to promote Texas shrimp
to budding chefs. This spring, Chef David Bull
of the Driskill Grill in Austin joined with
TDA for Culinary Boot Camp, an opportunity to
showcase
Texas shrimp in a classroom kitchen setting
for culinary students. Texas shrimp also received
top billing as TDA sponsored the 19th Annual
Saveur Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival,
the second largest food festival of its kind
in the United States. Texas shrimp was featured
in several recipe demonstrations and sampling
opportunities.
As with all of its marketing programs,
TDA will closely monitor the impact of its
promotional activities by measuring success and
sales. A
survey was sent to producers at the start of
the program to assess benchmark figures and
gather input on marketing approaches. TDA will
survey
producers again to gather impact data. The
success of the program will be measured to determine
the benefits for Texas shrimp producers, whose
best interest lies at the heart of the program.
For
the most recent updates on the program, check
the Web site at www.txshrimp.org or call
D’Anne Stites, TDA’s coordinator
for the Texas Shrimp Marketing
Program, at (877)TX-CATCH.
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