As part of our ongoing “Client in Conversation” series, today Eddie Woods and Michelle Hill are speaking with Roger Barlow and Jeremy Robbins from The Catfish Institute.
Over the past 15 years, Ramey has partnered with them to help reshape perceptions of catfish, expand their reach, and modernize how the organization communicates. In this interview, we’ll go behind the scenes on strategy, challenges, and wins over the years.
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Eddie:
Roger, Jeremy — thank you both for taking time with us today. To start, can you tell us a little about how U.S. Catfish (or the U.S. Catfish Institute) came to partner with Ramey originally? What were the circumstances, goals, or challenges back then?
Roger:
As I recall, I had my first meeting with The Ramey Agency more than 20 years ago. The ad agency that had been serving The Catfish Institute for quite a long time had lost touch with the reality of the industry’s consumers. Our Board of Directors wanted a new direction with new ideas I met with a number of different ad agencies at that time and it was clear that The Ramey Agency offered what our industry required fresh thoughts and rapid responses.
Michelle:
Over the years, how has your relationship with Ramey evolved?
Roger:
In the beginning, our relationship was certainly project based. But as the Ramey team grew to better understand the industry’s challenges and intricacies, we now see it as an absolute partnership. They are actively involved in everything The Catfish Institute does on behalf of the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish industry, from planning to execution. With one phone call, we can work together generate an entire new path forward — or manage a crisis on any scale.
Michelle:
Can you walk us through the broader context of the catfish / seafood industry when you first engaged Ramey? What perceptions, competitive pressures, or regulatory issues were you facing?
Jeremy:
Prior to the early 2000s, U.S. Catfish was the darling of the seafood industry. But as foreign competition invested heavily into aquaculture, we experienced challenges like we had never seen before. These imported species were held to no health and quality standards, certainly when compared to the depth and breadth of regulations facing our farmers. Educating consumers about the differences between imported products and domestic Catfish was a major focus for us and for The Ramey Agency as our partner. We’ve made great strides in this area, but it is still something we focus on as part of our ongoing campaigns.
Eddie:
Over the years, share a few highlights — some things we have done together that you thought were special and/or impactful?
Roger:
Early in our relationship with The Ramey Agency we focused heavily on their relationships in the culinary world. As technology has progressed we are highly pleased with Ramey’s management of our social media platforms, as well as influencer partnerships, which allow us to reach consumers in ways we could never have imagined. In addition, they worked with us to create The Catfish Trail, a video series which highlights destination-worthy catfish restaurants across the South. This program not only builds stronger relationships with restaurants, where the majority of all catfish is sold; but it also is exciting for our consumers, who have really become actively involved in the content.
Michelle:
We really enjoyed the recent “Refreshingly Fresh” campaign — developed to help those unfamiliar with catfish to understand how it can be prepared — talk to us a little bit about that campaign process and how you landed on this direction?
Jeremy:
Since The Catfish Institute’s founding in 1986, one of its major focuses has always been, and continues to be, recipe development. While we continue that today in various ways, this campaign did a great job of conveying the versatility of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish to the consumer.
Eddie:
Did any crises, market changes, or disruptions test your communications in ways you hadn’t anticipated?
Roger:
One of the biggest challenges for us from a communication standpoint is tackling the differentiation of imported versus domestic catfish. When we first started this messaging in 2007, we were much more direct in our language. Today when we talk about the difference, I think we are much more tactful and mindful of our consumers’ viewpoints. However, a softer approach does not make it less effective. I think the manner we speak in today is as effective as any industry in a similar situation.
Michelle:
What are some of the lessons you’d share with other similar organizations in the food / agricultural sector about investing in storytelling, branding, and integrated communications?
Jeremy:
We love to tell the farm-to-table message. So many consumers have no idea where their food comes from. An educated consumer is our greatest ally. It’s much easier to convince someone to pay a premium for a domestic product if they truly understand where the food comes from — and why there is a difference.
Michelle:
How do you stay relevant to younger consumers or emerging audiences who might have less familiarity with catfish or U.S. farm-raised seafood?
Jeremy:
We are always looking for new ways to develop the next generation of Catfish consumers. From developing new, innovative recipe ideas, to finding the most effective way to deliver content to reach these younger audiences, the Ramey team has a hand in it all. We continue to be very excited about our work with social media influencers from across the region. We recognize and appreciate the extended scope of consumers that these partnerships provide.
Eddie:
What keeps you excited, inspired, or passionate about this work today?
Roger:
It’s a personal and professional honor to do this job on behalf of our farmers and their families. The hard work they put in on their farms provides meals for tens of millions of Americans each year. The Catfish Institute’s mission is meaningful, and we take it very seriously.
