Autumn Consulting is a firm believer in amplifying the success of our partners. That’s why we’re celebrating our friends at M. Harris & Co. for their outstanding achievement of the Silver Anvil Award (SAA). Not only have their efforts made waves across the marketing community, but they’ve also played an instrumental role in saving the Great Lakes from an invasive species: the Asian Carp.
For the unfamiliar, the SAA remains the highest possible honor in public relations. Offered each year by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the goal is to recognize outstanding regional product marketing and celebrate success stories across the United States.
The Choose Copi campaign is a clear example of this. After months of tireless preparation, determination, and collaboration with the brightest minds in the industry, M. Harris & Co. launched a national movement that has changed the fate of North America’s Great Lakes.
Understanding Copi: The Campaign To Rename Asian Carp
The Great Lakes have been under attack by invasive fish for more than 30 years. Four unique species — the Bighead carp, Silver carp, Grass carp, and Black carp — have caused catastrophic damage to the surrounding ecosystem. By consuming small plants and other food sources available to native species, these competitors are beginning to starve other fish and unbalance the delicate ecosystem.
But although Asian carp are seen as a delicacy in other parts of the world, they are largely ignored or avoided in the United States. Asian carp is a naturally clean, top-feeding fish rich in fatty acids and essential proteins. However, it remained a lesser-known species viewed as unfit for human consumption — until now.
Marketing agencies M. Harris & Co and Span pooled their resources together to take on these invasive fish. Their goal was clear — to rename an already existing fish to reposition it as a desirable species for restaurants, diners, and suppliers.
Researchers took to focus groups and interviews to generate insights. And after more than a year of research and focus testing, marketers found one name that rose above the rest: ‘Copi.’
“Span’s solution was to rename the fish Copi, derived from copious,” writes Nick Adam, design principal at Span. “The Copi rebrand — along with the tagline Eat well. Do good. — reintroduces these carps to the public as a healthy, delicious, and responsible seafood option that also helps solve an environmental crisis.”
Autumn Consulting’s Role In The Copi Campaign
The team at Autumn Consulting, most specifically Nathan Misirian, is proud to have played a role in the development of the ‘Choose Copi’ website. As Google search marketing experts and seasoned SEO professionals, Nathan acted as the campaign’s exclusive SEO vendor to assist with reach, volume, traffic, and more. It took the talents of many team members to bring this project to life, leveraging decades of combined experience in search indexing, keywords, and user intent.
Autumn Consulting also wishes to celebrate the contributions of other M. Harris & Co. team members, many of whom spent tireless hours preparing, launching, or optimizing the Copi campaign.
“There are so many team members to recognize,” says Melissa Harris, CEO of M. Harris & Co. “Span’s Nick Adam brought us into the project and led the renaming. Gina Behnfeldt at Tetra Tech hired us and ran the project. Willa Reynolds helped with award submissions. And IDNR’s Jayette Bolinski worked side by side with us, leading a press strategy that earned global coverage.”
Eat Well, Do Good, Choose Copi
Two years ago, Asian carp threatened Michigan’s waterways as a relatively unfished and unconsumed species. Today, Choose Copi has become a nationally recognized movement to stop their numbers from overtaking the Great Lakes. The goal is to continue keeping populations in check with fishing, cooking, and restaurant sales to provide native fish species with ample time to rest, recover, and reclaim their natural habitat.
“Copi will become synonymous with a responsible lifestyle and a healthier planet, attracting aware citizens, responsible consumers and modern adapters of new ideas — supply chains, chefs, retailers, consumers,” Adam says. “If the carps aren’t stopped, the fish will severely damage our already vulnerable ecosystem.”
If you’re interested in learning more about our SEO role in for the Choose Copi campaign, we encourage you to contact (813) 618-7554 and speak with our founder Nathan Misirian.
