So with all of this creative talent on tap, is a visit to John West online rewarded with a smorgasbord of content that collectively whets the appetite for more engagement with the brand, or is it about as sobering as a slap with a wet salmon fillet?

The John West homepage is extremely synergistic with the brand’s recent heritage, and has as its centerpiece a cheeky little cameo of a family of grizzly bears which appear to be eyeing up a trawler to the tune of a salty audio track. The ambience of the piscatorial home portal is further enhanced by the site’s layout and color schemes, which together make for uncomplicated viewing and allow the eye to be drawn to a series of well presented visual product interchanges.

In terms of site content, the undoubted highlight is most definitely “Tuna to Go,” which, thanks to John West’s new flagship TV ad, drives an association with the brand that can only be described as vintage: Set against a backdrop of an angry, gunmetal sea in the shark infested waters of False Bay, South Africa, a lone fisherman decides to make his own entertainment with the legendary local inhabitants.

Sadly, the classic humorous hook-up that has long since been the trademark of the John West brand, and has been instrumental in reeling in many of the company’s customers over the past few years, is confined to that single online offering and the rest of the site is an unfortunate groundswell of pallid mediocrity. Examples of really disappointing material would be the Nutrition, Environment, and About Us sections, which are just about as depleted as the North Sea's stocks of cod. Indeed, with much of the content serving only as a generic reference point, one can’t help but wonder where all the talent (or perhaps the budget) might have disappeared to. Sure there is merit in evangelizing the benefits of Omega 3 (a fatty acid found in oily fish which can help prevent blood clotting and reduce triglyceride levels) and John West's commitment to the Marine Stewardship Council, but why not augment such subject matter with some rich and engaging content, rather than just stick it on a bulletin board and hope that will do the trick.

In this age of social networking, it really wouldn’t be difficult to think of a couple of ways in which John West could galvanize its online offering to increase its catch of customers. For example, the use of some good old fashioned promotional activity by way of an online loyalty scheme would certainly not go amiss, whilst a bit more substance behind the company’s environmental commitments would also help to break through the superficial barriers created by the thin film of content.

All things considered, John West online is a real dichotomy. On the one hand, there’s the outstanding creativity that has manifested itself in “Tuna to Go” and the alfresco appeal of the homepage, whilst on the other there’s a suite of lackluster site sections that have all the allure of seasickness.

Considering the importance of a competitive online presence in today's marketplace, John West must know it could augment business if the brand gets its online proposition right. To do so, however, it must improve its bait.