CNIEL Selects Swardlick Marketing Group to Develop
Campaign for The Cheeses of France

Selection Marks Marketing Program Debut in The United States

Swardlick Marketing Group, a full-service marketing and communications agency based in Portland, Maine, was selected by the Centre National Interprofessionnel de l’Èconomie Laitière (CNIEL) of France to lead an integrated marketing campaign for the diverse selection of French cheeses imported into the United States. This is the first U.S.-based campaign undertaken by CNIEL, an organization representing French dairy interests, and the first selection of a U.S. agency to run any of its marketing programs. The Cheeses of France Marketing Council, comprised of representatives of CNIEL and Swardlick Marketing Group, will oversee the campaign. Year One of the three-year campaign will include branding, web development, in-store marketing, trade show promotion and public relations. U.S. efforts will kick-off in June with supermarket sampling and in-store marketing in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

“Swardlick Marketing Group’s national expertise in food and beverage marketing and their commitment to making French cheese a star among specialty cheese in America was compelling when reviewing agency credentials,” said Eric Duchene, Head of the Food and Wine Department at the French Trade Office in New York. “While we currently promote our cheeses all over the world, we see big opportunity here in the U.S. for market growth. We’re confident Americans will look for The Cheeses of France more often once they become familiar with French cheesemaking tradition, the incredible variety available and the French attention to quality and taste.”

“We’re proud of our selection as the first U.S. agency to market The Cheeses of France in the United States,” said David Swardlick, President of Swardlick Marketing Group. According to Mr. Swardlick, the relationship with CNIEL developed as a result of contacts made during a gubernatorial trade mission to France, which placed the Agency directly in front of French trade associations interested in marketing their products in the United States. “The French have perfected the art of making fine cheese. We’re honored to be chosen by CNIEL and excited to help grow new business for The Cheeses of France here in the United States,” said Swardlick.

The Agency’s national recognition for changing consumer perception of Wild Blueberries—from something you put into a muffin to a health icon known for its antioxidant properties—was a compelling case for CNIEL when looking for a marketing partner. “We look at generic product categories from a brand perspective,” said John Sauvé, Swardlick Marketing Group’s Managing Director of Food and Nutrition. According to Sauvé, the value-added brand differentiator and demand driver for Wild Blueberries was the breakthrough discovery of the fruit’s antioxidant capacity. “Swardlick developed a health halo for Wild Blueberries with the #1 Antioxidant Fruit theme and positioning. For The Cheeses of France it’s going to be related to taste and terroir—the unique combination of climate, soil, and tradition particular to each cheesemaking region in France. The French cheesemaking tradition is what other specialty cheese producing countries—including the United States itself—aspire to,” said Sauvé.

Sauvé noted that cheese has undergone a renaissance in the United States with sales growing at double-digit rates. “The timing is right for France to capture the leadership position in specialty cheese. While we know Wisconsin, California and Vermont are coming on strong in this category, we want consumers to think about France when they look for specialty cheese,” said Sauvé.

Swardlick Marketing Group is a full-service strategic marketing agency with more than twenty-five years of experience delivering bold, ambitious and innovative strategies to regional, national and international clients. Services offered by the agency include strategic marketing, planning, brand development, advertising, media planning and buying, Internet marketing and public relations. The Agency’s service offerings are organized across five specialized practice areas: Food & Nutrition, Travel & Tourism, Higher Education & Not-For-Profit, Lifestyle & Leisure and Health and Wellness.