John West was ranked almost last in a Greenpeace league of canned fish brands based on sustainability. On top of that a famous activist had started attacking the brand directly.

John West needed to improve its sustainability image.

So, they took the bold move to be completely transparent about where and who caught every single fish in their cans. As a worldwide first John West took the tracking code found on all canned tuna and made theirs public, allowing consumer to trace their fish right back to not just the ocean but the exact trawler that landed each catch.Once consumers had typed their tracking code into the John West website, they were also able to discover what type of tuna they were eating and what John West were doing to protect the future of that species.

Firstly a new website was built to incorporate the can code tracking information.

We then launched with 2 30-second TV scripts. In each one a John West fishermen explained the can code concept; then linked the can he was holding back to an exact trawler by retelling a humorous story that happened onboard.

Following that we produced a series of POS, radio and press advertisements that further backed up our campaign message.

In a world where most people buy canned fish based on promotion, and rarely even think about brand, the campaign got people talking about John West. 1 in 5 who saw the campaign discussed it with family or friends face-to-face . The campaign won ‘campaign of the month’ on YouGov’s BrandIndex Buzz Tracker after creating huge increases in positive conversations about John West.On the key brand metric ‘cares about sustainability’ John West increased its scores from 45%-54% following the campaign.2011 was a standout year for John West, which saw the company regain its #1 position in terms of value market share, whilst simultaneously increasing its EBITDA profit margin versus the previous year.