McCann Manchester is running a print and PR campaign to promote mushrooms in the UK.

The agency's campaign for The Mushroom Bureau aims to convince women, healthcare professionals and caterers that mushrooms are just as nutritious as other healthy foods.

The ads show fruits that are commonly considered healthy shaped like mushrooms and will run in food magazines such as Olive and BBC Good Food, as well as catering, women's and health titles.

Simon Buchanan, managing partner at McCann Manchester, said: “The thinking behind the creative was that if you're trying to eat healthily, a mushroom isn't the first thing that would pop into your head.

“You're more likely to think of things like an apple or more traditional 'green' vegetables. But a lot of these things have the same health benefits in common with mushrooms which, research showed, is something most people don't realise.

“Traditionally these sorts of ads try to tempt the viewer with food photography. We feel that this campaign creates something more arresting.”

On the PR side celebrity nutritionist Amanda Hamilton and chef Ed Baines will povide comments and recipes on the moretomushrooms.com website.

Stephen Allen at The Mushroom Bureau said: “The campaign aims to drive behavioural change.

“We want to make people think about mushrooms in a different way –not just different ideas for recipes – we want to communicate the health, taste and convenience benefits of mushrooms and drive growth in the category in the UK.”

The campaign has been financed with aid from the European Union.