Padilla earned Best in Show honors at the 2026 Minnesota PRSA Classics for its Sea-To-Table Restaurant Week integrated marketing campaign with Seafood from Norway. The agency was recognized for its strategic creativity and measurable impact in building consumer preference for Norwegian seafood in the Northeast market.

Faced with a challenge of convincing U.S. diners to choose Seafood from Norway and motivating restaurants to feature it on menus, Padilla’s team leveraged a key insight: consumers are most willing to try premium seafood when trusted chefs prepare it.

To drive consumer trial and preference, Padilla partnered with top restaurants, influential chefs and content creators across New York City and Philadelphia to showcase Seafood from Norway during their Sea-To-Table Restaurant Week promotion. The campaign increased sales and consumer preference of Seafood from Norway, generating more than 3,300 dishes sold during the two-week promotion (a 33% increase), with 82% of participating restaurants keeping featured dishes on their menus after the promotion ended.

Hear from Mike Garcia and Yoni Aguilar of Padilla’s Food + Beverage team about how this innovative program was developed and transformed a restaurant promotion into a powerful driver of consumer behavior, trust with diners and growth for Seafood from Norway.

Join us to get insights and inspiration to strengthen your next Minnesota PRSA Classics award entry.

Speakers

Mike Garcia, Senior Director, Padilla Food + Beverage, leads campaign strategy for clients including the Norwegian Seafood Council and the Florida Department of Citrus. He builds brand awareness and consumer preference through integrated programs that leverage culinary partnerships, paid digital media and experiential activations to reach both retail shoppers and restaurant diners.

Yoni Aguilar, Director, Padilla Food + Beverage, specializes in building strategic partnerships across the foodservice, hospitality and retail space to connect consumers with premium food and beverage brands. Leveraging deep industry relationships and expertise in experiential marketing, he develops chef-driven programs, brand activations and immersive experiences that drive discovery, engagement and consumer preference.

YouTube video case study: https://youtu.be/shR22fICtmU?si=bmHncpjegXLJ3Ex-