Brand Makers
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Global Ads Spotlight: When fish fell from the sky and became the world's coolest gourmet brand
When fish fell from the sky in a remote Honduran town, most saw a strange meteorological mystery. Regal Springs and Ogilvy saw a sustainable brand story. Read and watch in our Global Ads Spotlight column.
In Yoro, Honduras, the "lluvia de peces" or "rain of fish" is a real, baffling meteorological event.
Most ad campaigns promise the moon. Heaven Fish just went with rain - of the piscine kind.
In Yoro, Honduras, the "lluvia de peces" or "rain of fish" is a real, baffling meteorological event. And in 2023, Regal Springs, a sustainable aquaculture company, decided to ride this freaky fish storm all the way to the marketing stratosphere.
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With help from Ogilvy Honduras, they cooked up Heaven Fish - a brand built on magic, community, and a solid dose of strategy.
Heaven Fish leaned into the local lore and gave it global legs. Every fish that "fell from the sky" was authenticated, tagged with a protected designation of origin, and registered by the villagers of Yoro themselves. This wasn't just branding - it was empowering.
The locals didn't just become participants; they became exclusive suppliers with ownership over the phenomenon that had long defined their hometown's identity.
And here's where it got really smart: the campaign positioned Heaven Fish not just as food, but as a seasonal gourmet product - something rare, natural, and worth the hype.
This wasn't some mass-market tuna tin. This was artisanal, air-dropped, origin-certified protein with a compelling backstory and eco-cred to boot.
The first batch sold out to local restaurants within 72 hours. More than 200 distribution deals followed. Even the package was buzzworthy - crafted from banana peel and compostable, it aligned with the campaign's sustainability-first ethos.
In a sea of greenwashed marketing jargon, Heaven Fish felt genuinely fresh. It created real economic uplift: over 25% of Yoro's residents signed up to the programme, with many more angling to join in. The campaign struck a rare balance between storytelling, social impact, and delicious absurdity.
The industry took notice. The campaign netted a Pencil at the D&AD Awards for Brand Strategy and snagged a shortlist spot in the Local Solution category. It also earned a Public Relations Merit at The One Show and got Cannes Lions love for its business model and sustainability angle.
Beyond the trophies, the numbers spoke for themselves: $152 million in earned media, 450 million in organic reach, and major traction with foodies, chefs, and eco-conscious eaters alike.
No influencers with fish-shaped hats. No fake scarcity tactics. Just a wildly creative brand that dared to ask: what if nature dropped your product right at your feet?
SPOTLIGHT
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