Hook, Line, and Sink 'Em: Marketing Seafood to Gen Z

This one goes out to all the folks who proudly sling their seafood to the world, and would like to continue to do so after the next generational wealth transfer takes place.

Strap in, we’re going on a journey to haul in the next wave of consumers—the ever-elusive Gen Z. It's been a long time coming for the seafood industry to lock onto this target species, but the time is now to set our sights on the generation that's shaping the future of consumer culture, one viral video at a time.

Now, it feels obvious why it’s so important to capture the attention of these fresh-faced, digital natives, but let’s break it down.

Gen Z isn't the distant future of consumer spending—they're practically knocking on the door of adulthood, wallets in hand, ready to make their mark on the world. And trust us when we say, we want seafood to be front and center when they do.

But here's the thing about Gen Z—they're not like your traditional consumers. They've been raised in the age of social media and have been bombarded with ads, click bait, and brand messaging from the moment they could swipe a screen. Thus, they've developed a healthy dose of skepticism, a finely-tuned BS detector, if you will. So how do we break through the cynicism and connect with this evasive demographic?

Enter influencer marketing. Remember the ‘Got Milk?’ campaign of the 90s? First of all, what a time to be alive. And second, all those smiling celebs with milk moustaches? Take that, juice it up on steroids and blast it all over the internet. Ta, da! Influencer marketing! Oh, and it’s not just the Backstreet Boys touting the benefits of getting their proverbial calcium anymore. In fact, it’s almost better if it’s not (no shade to BSB).

In a study by Reuters Institute of around 94,000 people from 46 countries, a solid 55% of people in the Gen Z demographic are taking in their news from prominent platforms like TikTok,  compared to 33-42 per cent who lean to trusted media organizations.

Gen Z has some trust issues, and don't just want to hear from brands (or out-of-reach people paid by brands) —they want to hear from real people, people who look like them, talk like them, and yes, even eat like them. That's where influencers come in.

These digital tastemakers have built loyal followings based on trust, authenticity, and yes, a healthy dose of salt. And when it comes to marketing seafood to Gen Z, influencers are delivering.

But the work goes deeper than just slapping a product placement in their latest Instagram post and calling it done. Anyone can sniff out that BS a mile away. If you caught our previous article on Emily De Sousa’s influencer badge of honor, it's about forging genuine connections, telling authentic stories, and above all, providing value. Gen Z wants more than just a product—they want experience, realism, a story to tell their friends.

So how do we make seafood a part of their story? Well, we’ve thrown down on this before and we’ll say it again. We meet them where they are—on TikTok (for now), Instagram, YouTube, and whatever community communication platform comes next. We show them how seafood fits seamlessly into their college dorm room dinners, their late-night study snacks, their post-workout fuel. We make seafood cool, relatable, and yes, even a little bit rebellious.

Unlike previous generations, Gen Z aren't just consumers - they're creators as well. They're the ones shaping the future of social media and how we receive information, and they’re listening to each other more than they’re listening to traditional advertising. So if we want to play in their arena, we need to show them that seafood is approachable, fun, and awesome for sharing with friends, family, and yes, even the occasional viral video.

Gen Z is out there and looking for us, we just haven’t shown up to the game yet. It's time to make our move.

Back to you. Is your business trying to target a Gen Z customer base? What’s worked for you? What’s gotten clap back? Let us know in the comments!