Johnsonville Sausage, which
introduced a “Keep It Juicy” positivity and brand campaign in April, is turning up the heat on its feel-good message. Armed with fresh data from Harris Polling revealing that 89% of
Americans wish social media was less negative and that 92% believe one positive act inspires another, the Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin-based food company used a full-page ad in the New York Times
to kick off a #KeepTheInternetJuicy challenge.
This launch is a continuation of the ad campaign introduced earlier this spring, with
celebrities like basketball great Giannis Antetokounmpo, comedian Lil Rey Howrey, and actors Tia Mowrey and Brian Baumgartner. The company is urging people, organizations and even other brands to pile
on the positive messaging movement. Jamie Schmelzer, senior director of marketing, tells CPG Insider about the new campaign.
CPG Insider: As your research points out, the
internet is relentlessly negative, especially as we head into the elections. How will this help?
Jamie Schmelzer: A huge majority of Americans wish social media were more positive. We
have made the statement that we will do everything we can to try to fix the internet. We know that sounds a little ridiculous and will need lots of help. We are asking brands with advertising money
and celebrities with big followings to share in this movement. We can’t do it by ourselves. We're trying to set the example.
CPG Insider: What kind of things do you hope to see
shared with “#KeepTheInternetJuicy”?
Schmelzer: One example is a story I saw recently where a pitcher in a high school baseball state championship won the big game by
striking out his best friend, then walked to home plate to hug him.
CPG Insider: People share many things on social media, but not so much about food brands. How does this new effort
link to sausage?
Schmelzer: It’s bigger than sausage. About three-quarters of people in this country say buying from brands that share their values is more important than ever. In
our survey with Harris, we wanted to understand people's values.
Johnsonville cares so much about the country's emotional state because 71% of people told us that they're hanging out with
people less than they did five years ago. In part, that’s because they feel exhausted by all the anger and negativity. Since Johnsonville makes hangout food -- our food shines at block parties,
tailgate parties, BBQs and potlucks -- we felt like we had to jump in and try to help in any small way we could.
CPG Insider: And you think this campaign will increase
get-togethers?
Schmelzer: Yes, we want to make sure people take those breaks to have fun and hang out with their favorite people. And if Johnsonville sausages are on the menu, we'd be
honored.
CPG Insider: What other insights came from the research?
Schmelzer: The internet makes the world seem angry and more divided than maybe it is. It’s not
real life. And there’s so much we agree on -- in our survey, 96% of people think bullying is bad, and 86% of us agree that parents who start fights at youth sports events are not setting a good
example. Those are overwhelming majorities. We just want to focus on the positive things we agree on and help however we can.
CPG Insider: This social-media challenge builds on the ads introduced earlier this year, with actor Vince Vaughan urging people to “turn
down the temperature a bit” and “let our flavor flags fly.” How has that been working?
Schmelzer: The summer grilling period is critical -- Memorial Day, Father's Day,
Fourth of July, Labor Day. And so far, the response to the “Keep It Juicy” campaign has been great. People are responding to the reminder to include sausage on their menus. When we ask why
people don’t grill sausages, the No. 1 reason is “I didn't think of it.” We have a lot of work to do to remind people sausage is one of their options.
CPG Insider:
Pork sales have struggled a bit, and Americans are still working through higher food prices. Where do sausages fit in?
Schmelzer: Grocery prices are a challenge for everybody, and
that's been the case for a while. Sausage sits in a kind of value sweet spot. We like to say sausage offers more flavor per bite than anything else you can buy in the meat department. It's a good
solution for people trying to eat less meat as a lifestyle choice or trying to find value.
CPG Insider: What are the specific goals of this social-media effort?
Schmelzer: Our No. 1 metric is reach, which drives household penetration. We need sausage to get into households, specifically to all young families forming in America. We're looking to
build awareness of the brand. Many young millennials were forced to prepare more meals at home during the pandemic, and many learned how to do more in the kitchen. Some are driven by health and
nutrition concerns; others are looking for new flavors. And there are always practical considerations and getting something on the table fast when you have a young family.