The news that Albert Bartlett has managed to win Hollywood A-lister Marcia Cross as the face of its new £3 million advertising campaign for the Rooster range might seem like an unlikely coup for the fresh produce industry, let alone the humble potato category.

However, since the trade has lost many of its brands in recent years and in many cases, much of its promotional budget in the last 12 months, this move is a brave one from a forward-thinking potato supplier and one that is sure to attract the kind of attention that only a genuinely high-profile TV star can achieve.

I hope the campaign will at the very least get the rest of the produce industry thinking about new, high-impact ways to promote their products, whatever sector they are in.

A freshinfo poll last month asked readers whether celebrity endorsement was a worthwhile expense for the fresh produce industry, after the UK’s top glamour model Kelly Bell became the face of Albion strawberries. The results were close, with 48 per cent in favour and 46 per cent against - but either way, the Albion story was still one of the most-read stories last month.

It is difficult to measure the impact of this kind of marketing and in the end, sales should be the best indicator - but given that the produce industry still has some way to go in the publicity stakes, this move should not be underestimated.