Mayo Vs Miracle Whip

Scottie Pippen, politician? Hall-of-famer flip-flops on LeBron vs. Jordan “debate”

Of course that didn’t stop Jordan’s former running mate and second-banana Scottie Pippen from recently drawing the ire of Chicago fans and reasonable observers everywhere by saying during the 2011 playoffs that Jordan was the better offensive talent but LeBron the best all-around player. It seems as if Mr. Pippen has had some time to think about it (or perhaps just got tired of being skewered for it, or having Mike not return his calls) because he’s now changed his tune:

Pippen probably got blasted by MJ. To bad hes still wrong. Wilt the Stilt was, is and will probably always be the greatest ever. Jordan isn’t far behind. And in no way do I mean to slight MJ. But what Wilt did was insane. If it had not been for one of the best teams in organized sports history, Wilt would have had more then 2 rings. Had Wilt had ESPN and other media outlets he would ve been recognized for what he did. Again MJ is and will always be amazing, but in my opion its Wilt.

Miracle Whip vs Mayo ...what's the point of difference? | Don't ...

If you haven’t seen the new “Love it or hate it” campaign for Miracle Whip, take a trip to Youtube and watch. If not for appearances by Pauly D and James Carville, view for the departure from traditional advertising puff pieces we’re inundated with as audience members.

Miracle Whip created unusual TV spots using self-deprecating dialogue to own up to all the reasons someone may not like Miracle Whip. Arguably questionable, but definitely memorable. Instead of running from consumer’s perceptions about the taste, the brand embraced comments and pushed forward seeking to polarize the condiment community. However, the polarization is where the campaign messaging ends.

Although it appears to mirror the Coke vs Pepsi Cola Wars, this campaign is vastly different as Miracle Whip is not targeting the broadest possible audience or competitor’s consumers by noting a point of difference.  Instead, Miracle Whip seeks to carve out its own elite place among condiment consumers with its “we’re not for everyone” market position utilizing Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to hammer home the message.  Consumer outreach is geared at getting consumers to declare which condiment they prefer (Mayo or Miracle Whip) but does not encourage mayonnaise users to switch or outline WHY they should switch (i.e speak to the taste difference between the two products). The Facebook users can post thoughts about being part of this “elite group” of consumers but the brand does not encourage dialogue about taste, texture or other attributes to strengthen the product’s point of difference.   The branded Twitter page includes comments such as, “Then you can tell us what side you’re on!” further fueling the “war” but doing little to help the product differentiate itself to consumers.

Holistically, the campaign lacks a compelling statement as to why Miracle Whips is better than Mayonnaise (unless of course you prefer James Carville over Pauly D and are fully swayed by his product endorsement).

I’m in the same boat as  industry analysts when I wonder if the current campaign contains a strong enough message to move product. When interviewed, A Kraft brand manager only spoke to the campaign’s tone and “honesty” saying, “consumers may actually appreciate the brand’s honest approach. We are not pretending that we are universally loved. And we feel that approach will grab consumers in a very real way.” This statement continues to fuel the campaign’s lack of differentiation.

ZMOT

Mental floss, What's the difference

Roadfood Sandwiches, Recipes and Lore from Our Favorite Shops Coast to Coast

The Sweet Potato Queens' big-ass cookbook (and financial planner)

Living Vegetarian for Dummies