On MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica, Jessica Simpson once asked: “Is this chicken what I have, or is this fish? I know it’s tuna, but it says Chicken … by the Sea. Is that stupid?” I recently wrote Chicken of the Sea and picked up where Jessica left off…

Dear Chicken Fisherman:

As a consumer, I’m interested in your company. What I don’t understand is why your company isn’t interested in me. I mailed a friendly letter of inquiry and the response was quieter than a sea of chickens in a crowded coop all suffering from laryngitis. Mind if I try again?

How did you come up with the name Chicken of the Sea? Everyone knows there’s really no chicken in the sea, except for maybe Jessica Simpson. It’s an unusual name. I mean, why chicken? Why not go all the way with something even more upscale like Filet Mignon of the Sea? After all, you can order a Tuna Steak, so why not Filet Mignon Tuna?

Finally, that mermaid you have in your logo is hot! Do you have any posters or stickers of her you could send? Since she’s only a cartoon character, there’s a limit to how far consumers can fantasize about her. Have you considered replacing her with Jessica Simpson dressed as a mermaid?

There are lots of fish in the sea, but there’s only one kind of chicken. That’s what makes Chicken of the Sea so much more than just tuna.

A Consumer Affairs Representative responded with:

Thank you for contacting us.

In the “old days”, fishermen referred to White Albacore tuna as Chicken of the Sea. It was called this because of its white flesh and very mild flavor, which reminded them of chicken. The founder of Chicken of the Sea International thought this would be a unique name for a brand of tuna and decided to use it. The company is now over 80 years old, and the name Chicken of the Sea and the Mermaid label are known worldwide.

For up to date information such as promotion, recipes, product information of interest, please visit our website at www.chickenofthesea.com.

Because we value you as a good customer of ours and appreciate your taking the time to contact our company, we are enclosing discount coupons to use the next time you are out shopping.

Final Thoughts: There are many foods that people say taste like chicken. Ironically, Chicken of the Sea isn’t one of them. I can see how Jessica got confused. It would be fascinating to see how she would react to Jerk Chicken or Cock Flavored Soup.

I’m not sure what goes on in the minds of fishermen while at sea, but it appears that the tuna is definitely playing with their heads. On one hand, we should be thankful the white flesh of tuna made them think of chicken. Otherwise, we might be eating Mime, Albino or Caucasian of the Sea today. On the other hand, another group of fishermen saw tuna, didn’t think chicken, and was apparently reminded of a Bumble Bee. Therefore, make sure to check the ingredients of whatever tuna you buy to confirm that it’s really tuna and not some other con artist animal with an alias trying to impersonate it.

Chicken of the Sea delivered an interesting story about the name behind their brand. I’m surprised they haven’t expanded their product line to include Tuna of the Coop. They also enclosed 3 Save 25¢ Coupons On Any Chicken of the Sea Product and 2 Chicken of the Sea Mermaid stickers (see photo). So, it looks like they are sticking with the Mermaid and not replacing her with Jessica.

In case you missed it, here’s a video clip of Jessica Simpson trying to figure out Chicken of the Sea. You might also enjoy this Chicken of the Sea “In the News” post and MTV article.

Next time you are at the market looking for tuna, consider catching some Chicken of the Sea. However, if you’re fishing around for information about a product or brand, it can be fun to see what kind of answers you reel in when you Write The Company.