The AUDACITY! Why the Seafood Industry Needs to Start Being Proud on Purpose

You know the meme: the audacity. Usually paired with a bombastic side-eye and a healthy dose of sarcasm. It's rarely a compliment.

The word “audacious” tends to get lumped in with ego, arrogance, and taking up too much space. And in the modern social media vernacular, it usually tracks.

Creator Leenda Dong (TikTok @yoleendadog) rides into the audacious trend

But what if sometimes, things could use a little more audacity? What if some stories could be pushed with a bit more boldness, not less?

We think seafood is one of them.

The next generation of seafood lovers is coming of age. They care about where their food comes from. They expect to be able to see the people and the process behind it. They want to feel connected to the values that drive it, and will support brands and businesses that they align with (we all still have to eat). But they need to see those values in action.

And they don’t want to have to dig for that information. They want it easy to find, ready to meet them, and shared with confident conviction. You know, a little audacity.

The Problem with Being “Humble”

It’s admirable to want your work to speak for itself. But what happens when no one can hear it?

Seafood people have long chosen humility over hype. Proud, hardworking folk who believe the work should speak for itself. There’s a nobility in that—but these days, quiet doesn’t cut it. The end consumer isn’t your neighbor anymore. They won’t see the salt, sweat, and stewardship behind your product unless you show them.

Quality product is the expectation, not the message. If you’re not sharing your story, people assume you’re hiding something. In a time where industry is assumed guilty until proven innocent, silence doesn’t read as confidence—it reads as ghosting the issues.

And sure, there’s fear in being visible. What if we say the wrong thing? What if we’re picked apart? Canceled?! Dragged across the internet?!!

Hate to break it to you, but scrutiny is already here. The dragging began years ago. The only way to shift the narrative is to speak into it. Transparency doesn’t mean being flawless—it means being forthright. Show what’s working, what’s changing, and why it matters.

Seafood eaters aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for proof.

Audacious Doesn’t Have to Mean Arrogant

So what does the right kind of audacity look like?

• A harvester protecting habitat while feeding their community. Show the gear, the environment, the haul, and tell the story of care behind the catch.

• A processor explaining traceability through the supply chain. Break down the journey from boat to box so people know what they’re buying into.

• A distributor prioritizing regional food security. Post about who you serve and how your logistics support local resilience.

• A chef spotlighting a low-impact species. Show a culinary BTS that tells diners why it matters—and how it tastes.

• A seafood brand rejecting greenwashing tactics and leading with receipts. Educate, don’t just sell. Show your proof and push the standard higher.

It’s intentional, and it builds trust by making your values visible.

Why Now? Why Storytelling?

Proactive storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have—especially when it’s rooted in real work, not PR spin. When we speak clearly, and show proof of care for people, planet, and resource, we can shift perception.

Take Ocean, the new doc delivered by the world’s foremost environmental communicator, Sir David Attenborough. It offers a compelling narrative of hope through care, but doesn’t include the positive side of seafood. And we know damn well that seafood is a prism of positive sides.

That’s a missed opportunity—and a familiar pattern.

Right now, conversations about climate and food futures are happening in boardrooms, policy circles, and media outlets. And seafood—despite being a key solution—is often absent or misunderstood. That silence invites assumption to the table in our absence: That seafood is unsustainable, elitist, or too complex to matter.

If we don’t speak up, those narratives win by default.

And How?

Here’s the good news: showing up doesn’t mean shouting awkwardly on a soapbox (unless that’s on brand for you). It means sharing what’s real—with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

When seafood professionals open up with honesty, transparency, and generosity of information, the story begins to shift. People see nuance. They understand the progress. They connect the dots because we showed them something worth seeing.

We’re not saying every fisherman and ocean farmer needs to start pumping out TikTok content tomorrow. In fact, if you’re not sure what your story is—hold up.

To tell your stories with that good kind of audacity we’re talking about, you need a firm foundational understanding of what those stories are and how you want to communicate them. Start with the foundation. What do you stand for? What stories are worth telling? What does your audience actually need to hear?

If you’re not sure where you’re at—or where to start—stick around.

Next week, we’ll walk you through the InnaSea Marketing Roadmap: our step-by-step guide built specifically for seafood brands ready to lead with strategy, purpose, and just the right amount of audacity.

A Shift Worth Making

It’s not bragging if it’s true, and seafood has stories that it can be proud of on purpose.

We all know the seafood sector is doing good work that’s worth celebrating. And in a time when hope feels hard to come by, these stories of stewardship, innovation, and care might just be the reminder people need that a better food system is possible.

But they can’t be reminders if they’re left untold.

Every brand, company, and individual in seafood has something worth sharing. Not as a performance. As a practice.

So let’s reframe audacity from ego to empowerment, and make it clear that the seafood industry isn’t the problem. It’s actively shaping the solution.