Inside the Campaign: Connelly Partners’ “Trusted by Those Who Know” for Gorton’s Seafood

Gorton’s Seafood Endorsed by Top Names of The Ocean Community in New Campaign by Connelly Partners

Mer-Bros and Poseidon Among the Aquatic Authorities Featured in Gorton’s New Spots

GLOUCESTER, Massachusetts, (January 26, 2018) – Gorton’s Seafood has launched its latest broadcast campaign, Trusted by Those Who Know, created by agency-of-record, Connelly Partners. In the spots, authorities of the ocean reveal that even they, storied characters of the sea, trust Gorton’s. Mer-bros, a castaway and even Poseidon agree: they all turn to their trusted source, the Gorton’s Fisherman, for quality seafood.

The campaign, which was shot on White Point Beach in San Pedro, California, and directed by Hungry Man’s Conor Byrne, is as visually stimulating as it is quirky and ironic. Legacy Effects, the force behind the costumes in Marvel’s movie franchise, created the costumes for characters of the sea – who were complimented by the same slicker-clad Fisherman introduced in last year’s campaign.

 

In Mer-Bros, self-satisfied muscular men with mermaid tails lift shell weights and eat their protein, in the form of Gorton’s fish sandwich, while deadpanning at the camera, “You know Mer-Bros aren’t born with this physique…we still have to eat right.”

In Poseidon, a regal and buff Poseidon poses on an island with jewel encrusted armor, musing, “Even though I’m the immortal God of the sea, I still only have one body…forever…so I trust Gorton’s.”

In Castaway, a long haired bearded castaway (with a coconut as a friend) sits down to dinner by a campfire, “After 20 years as a castaway, you’d think I’d be sick of fish, but I still love Gorton’s wild caught whole fillets that I don’t have to catch with my bare hands.” At the end of each spot, there is an overt nod to the Gorton’s Fisherman; in this one, the Fisherman is rescuing our Castaway.

“The Trusted by Those Who Know campaign was created to demonstrate that Gorton’s Seafood is a proven and delicious option for a quick meal solution that includes real, quality and sustainably sourced seafood,” said Chris Hussey, vice president of marketing at Gorton’s. “What we liked about this year’s campaign was how Connelly Partners represented our brand heritage – the food, color, Fisherman, and of course, the jingle – while adding a fresh, modern and fun feel. For 169 years, our company has sought innovative ways to bring our fans the very best quality seafood, and we feel this spot conveys that in an entertaining way.”

“Whenever you develop modern creative for an ever-evolving but iconic brand, it’s a big responsibility,” said Alyssa Toro, chief creative officer at Connelly Partners. “We had fun with these characters, but kept centered on the core brand promise of trust. When you have a beautifully-defined brand, a quality product and a great client partner, it becomes clear where the boundaries are, and our team had fun creating something memorable in that space.”

The media strategy and plan, also developed by Connelly Partners, is a mix of cable networks and a social media buy with and array of unique content appearing across Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Facebook.

Connelly Partners’ Shopper Marketing considered every step on the path to purchase including in-store, loyalty and other Shopper Marketing elements. The brand will increase its presence during peak times for seafood consumption, with the Lenten season still one of its strongest sales periods.

About Gorton’s Seafood
Since 1849, Gorton’s mission has been to help people everywhere enjoy the goodness of great seafood. Headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Gorton’s is one of America’s oldest continuously operating companies, and continues to be the innovation leader in the frozen seafood industry. Gorton’s proudly stands behind the promise that consumers can “Trust the Gorton’s Fisherman” for the best-tasting, highest-quality and most convenient seafood.

About Connelly Partners
Connelly Partners is a full-service advertising and marketing agency that uses empathy to develop relationships and unique connections with consumers. Clients include, American Express Travel, A&E Networks, American Tourister, BJ’s Wholesale Clubs, Babson College, British Virgin Islands Tourism Board, CIE Tours, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Gorton’s Seafood, Kayem Foods, Massachusetts State Lottery, Samsonite, among others. The agency’s loft space in the South End of Boston is filled with over 150 employees accomplished in strategic planning, creative and content generation, media planning and buying, digital strategy/execution, public relations, social media, search, branded entertainment, integrated production and analytics. Connelly Partners has been recognized for its workplace culture by Advertising Age, Boston Business Journal, Boston Globe and BostInno, among others. Visit http://www.connellypartners.com for more information.

CREDITS:
Agency: Connelly Partners

Chief Creative Officer: Alyssa Toro

Associate Creative Director: Carissa Mak

Senior Copywriter: Michelle Ellis

Director of Production: Barry Frechette

Broadcast Producer: Lauren Lukacsko

Production Company: Hungry Man

Director: Conor Byrne

Editing House: Peel & Eat

Editor: Pete Warren

Producer: Joel Walker

Color & VFX: Filipp Kotsishevskiy

Audio Mix: Brian McKeever/Soundtrack Boston

Director of Brand Leadership: Dana Wantman

Account Director: Hillary Williams

Brand Supervisor: Kelley Bolte