A drama that rivals (OK, spoofs) Succession. J.M. Smucker Co., ‘s Jif peanut butter has added a chocolate version and PSOne is making sure that the US notices.
The Merger, the latest iteration of That Jif’ing Good is a gripping bursiness drama that follows the merger of two fictional companies – The Peanut Butter Group and Chocolatey Corp. The 90-second film stars J. Smith-Cameron as the Peanut Butter Group CEO. In it, the “merger of the century” creates chaos in the business world, complete with a press conference, rivals accusing them of having a ‘monopoly on craveability’, and a large Jif product reveal event straight from ‘Spread Valley’.
The flavour to the US’ penchant for chocolate. 72% of Americans claim that chocolate lifts their moods, and chocolate spreads appeal to the young multicultural market who snack throughout the day. Jif’s new spread also contains 50% less sugar than the leading hazelnut spread with cocoa.
The full campaign covers short film, TV, video, radio, and social running nationally in the US.
Other executions that bring the PBC Inc. story into popular culture include
- A full-page print ad in the New York Times, made to feel like a press release from the real PBC Inc. with the headline, The Merger America Craved.
- A New York Times online branded content article written from the perspective of one of their business reporters covering the merger
- A landing page mimicking an official website for PBC Inc., PBCincorporated.com, including a mission statement, CEO bios, and a company timeline.
“The Merger is so much more than just an impeccably executed and nuanced piece of comedy, it’s the front door to a hilarious big idea that keeps getting funnier the further you drill into the campaign. The PBC Investor Deck, the full-page NY Times announcement and our IRL IPO activation relentlessly go after the merger conceit. This idea doesn’t miss an opportunity to turn ‘every spoon holder into a shareholder’.,” stated Erica Roberts CCO, BBH USA.
“We’re constantly looking for new corners of culture for Jif to hack. And when we got the brief about two titans of taste combining to create Jif Peanut Butter and Chocolate Flavoured Spread, it allowed us to insert ourselves into the most unexpected corner yet: Big business mergers,” added Alan Wilson, SVP group creative director, BBH USA. “So, it was only natural that we enlisted J. Smith Cameron to head the high-stakes business drama to launch the delicious new product.”
“The launch of Jif Peanut Butter & Chocolate Flavoured Spread represents a significant milestone for the brand, marking the largest flavour innovation in over 10 years,” noted Jessica Fair, senior director, integrated consumer experience, The J.M. Smucker Co. “In working with our PSOne partners, we set out to create a campaign that mirrored the innovative spirit of the product itself – exciting, impactful and designed to resonate with both our loyal Jif consumers and those who haven’t yet discovered the brand’s deliciousness.”
Credits:
Client: J.M. Smucker (Jif peanut butter)
Creative Agency: PSOone
Creative Agency: BBH USA
Chief Creative Officer: Erica Roberts
Group Creative Directors: Peter Defries & Alan Wilson
Associate Creative Directors: Jason Lane & Christopher Vanderkleed
Client Lead: Yuri Lee
Group Account Director: Tina Bandzuch
Account Director: Jayne Andrews
Account Lead: Mike Daly
Account Executive: Sadie Mcmillan
Heads of Strategy: Jennifer Baldwin & Allie O’Shea
Strategist: Victoria Neal
Head of Design: Hernan Ibanez
Designer: Jin Kim
Creative Agency: PXP Studios
Executive Producer: Lauren Schneidmuller
Producer: Rachel Tierney
Business Affairs Managers: Erica Greenfield & Natalie Roback
Digital Agency: Digitas USA
Group Creative Director: Alexandra Askot
Creative Director: Michael Greenberg
Art Director: Elayna Milano
Copywriter: Cailin Boegel
Designers: Melinda Lastyak & Luis Perez
Project Managers: Nikolay Ilchenko, James Skidmore & Magdalena Goss
Strategists: Kaitlyn Kline, Marley Magaziner & Alexis Rogers
Data Manager: Jeff Bobick
Content & Media Agency: Zenith
Shopper Marketing Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi X
Social Agency: Publicis Media
PR Agency: MSL Group
Production: Hungry Man US
Director: Wayne McClammy
Director of Photography: Jess Hall
Executive Producers: Kim Dellara, Caleb Dewart & Rick Jarjoura
Post-Production: Harbor
Creative Directors: Anne Trotman, Billy Jang &David Soto
Executive Producer: Jesse Schwartz
Head of Production: Tia Perkins
Producers: Joe Hobaica & Adean Gopala-Foster
Editorial: Cabin Edit
Editor: Chan Hatcher
Edit Assistants: Katie Pehowski & Molly Dolinger
Producer: Grace Hammerstein
Executive Producer: Hope Duhaime
Music & Sound: Superexploder
Sound Engineer: Jody Nazzaro
Executive Producer: Meredith Nazzaro
Music & Sound: Human Worldwide
Executive Producer: James Dean Wells
Producer: Kenzo Perron
Creative: Matthew O’Malley
Composer: John Chris Barnes
