Challenge: Chicken of the Sea was feeling the pinch of a declining seafood category and major competitors outspending them 52:1 in traditional media. With no clear product differentiator and limited budget, we needed an unexpected idea to spark relevance and grow marketshare, on a fraction of the spend.
Idea: With social media crossing the 50% adoption threshold in 2010, we saw a chance to do what no one else was doing—transform our mascot into a socially fluent, always-on brand personality. The mermaid became our voice, our media channel, and our budget-friendly way into consumers’ daily lives.
Results at a glance:
+6% sales increase (despite the entire category declining 5%)
2% market share increase (during industry contraction)
20% coupon redemption rate (from fan-only social offers)
27.2% increase in Facebook followers
62% rise in engaged social users
11M+ plays of the branded game (most-played in GSN history)
mermaid glow up
We started by giving the famous Chicken of the Sea’s mermaid a makeover—transforming her from a static cartoon, to a more dimensional, expressive character. The we gave her a social-savvy persona.
With a playful personality and a clever tone that was equal parts witty and warm, she became a digital insider for fans. Whether sharing tuna recipes or cracking jokes in the comments, the mermaid made the brand more human—and a lot more fun.
from mascot to social media maven
We made the mermaid the life of the timeline—keeping her voice witty, warm, and always culturally in the mix. Instead of pushing products, we built a fanbase. From outfit changes to inside jokes, she stayed in the chat.
Everyday Engagement: She replied, reacted, and shared thoughts like a real friend—sparking daily conversations and building a loyal crew. She even let fans do their own Mer-Makeovers.
Real-Time Relevance: From a March “Tuna-ment” recipe brackets to live-tweeting the 2011 Royal Wedding, she was never late to the party.
Fan-First Exclusives: She gave out social-only coupons, early product drops, and recipe shoutouts, making fans feel like VIPs.
treasure hunt turned brand hit
Capitalizing on the 2010 casual gaming boom, we partnered with GSN to launch Undersea Treasure Match. It became the most-played game in GSN.com’s history at launch, driving brand affinity and fueling over 11.9 million plays, equally 296,000 hours of brand exposure.
mermaid IRL
Targeted preroll spots brought the mermaid to life. From sassy pirate banter to a pestering kid, new characters joined the mermaid on her rock to entertain viewers while driving home the brand’s quality message.
impact
More than a decade later, Mermaid on a Rock still stands as a breakthrough case in modernizing brands for social engagement. By turning the mermaid into a witty, socially savvy persona and blending humor with interactivity, Chicken of the Sea deepened loyalty, reached new consumers, and increased market sales in an intensely competitive market.