McDonald's is not changing its Filet-O-Fish recipe, but it is upping its marketing game to emphasize sustainable fishing practices, reports Ad Age.
Two new commercials and an upcoming digital video showcase the wild-caught Alaskan pollock used in the sandwich, and supplied by Seattle-headquartered Trident Seafoods.
The Filet-O-Fish is available year-round, but the Lenten season, which this year begins March 1, is its biggest selling time. About 25 percent of all Filet-O-Fish sandwiches are sold during Lent, McDonald's said.
The fish used in the sandwich is sustainably sourced and since 2013 it has been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Still, it has faced some criticism from people who argue the fish may not be as environmentally-friendly as it sounds.
"In today's day and age people want to know what's going in their food [and] where is it coming from," said Dan Coudreaut, executive chef and VP-culinary innovation at McDonald's, writes Ad Age.
A 15-second commercial shows the story of Davis, a guy from Pollock, South Dakota, who enjoys fishing, going to the Gulf of Alaska to see how McDonald's fish is caught by Trident.
In a longer 'What's Cooking' digital video, which McDonald's plans to run beginning March 1, Coudreaut speaks with the captain of Trident's Viking Explorer.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the Filet-O-Fish. In 1965, it was the first addition to the original McDonald's menu.
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