Erling Haaland backs new campaign for Norwegian salmon

Norway and Manchester City footballer Erling Haaland is strengthening his partnership with the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) by supporting a new campaign that highlights the health benefits, nutritional value and origin of Norwegian salmon

Erling first signed with NSC back in March 2024 in a bid to raise awareness of the brand Seafood from Norway and drive consumption of the nation’s seafood. 

The goal now is to showcase the shared Norwegian origin of both Haaland and Norwegian seafood, and the unique quality of seafood as a part of an athlete’s diet.  

Haaland himself has no hesitation when it comes to the importance of Norwegian seafood, commenting: “A healthy diet is very important for both performance and recovery, in my experience. Safe to say, that is why Norwegian seafood is such a big part of my diet.

“What I love most about seafood is the flavour. The fact that it is a fantastic protein source with well-balanced nutrition is a bonus.”

As seafood is a big part of Haaland’s childhood and culture, using him to front new campaigns for Seafood from Norway is an ideal match, says NSC. In addition, Haaland’s dedication to health confirms that he’s perfect for representing Norwegian seafood.  

Marketing director at the NSC Camilla Beck, comments: “We’re very excited about our new Haaland campaigns, and that we’re able to expand on the existing partnership. His dedication to health and nutrition is a perfect addition to our work and message, showing how great Norwegian seafood is for a healthy lifestyle and diet.” 

This year, the NSC wanted to move closer to the personal aspect of eating and enjoying Norwegian seafood, showing both the versatile cooking options and the exquisite dining situations. 

Guro Lund, NSC marketing manager for salmon, said: “We want to strengthen the connection between the consumers and Norwegian salmon, associating it with Haaland’s strength, discipline and love for salmon. This has been an important part of the storytelling of the campaign.”

Using Haaland’s own personal preference for Norwegian seafood and his dedication to nutrition as an angle, the plan is to explore new dishes and dining experiences.  

The origin of Norwegian seafood also plays a major part this year, where new videos will connect the nature of Norway to both Haaland and seafood. A well-known football field in Henningsvær, surrounded by the sea and the mountains, will be the backdrop. 

According to NSC, its 2024 campaigns featuring Haaland and Seafood from Norway made a huge impact in many of Norway’s seafood markets, with Camilla adding: “We’ve analysed the results of our campaigns, and we do see a consistent trend over the last years of testing that celebrities, like Erling Haaland, help NSC campaigns in achieving high visibility and fostering correct associations with Norway.  

“Safe to say, we’re therefore very happy to continue this collaboration, as Haaland is such an important role model for many – as well as being a great ambassador for both Norway and our quality seafood.”