Although an unlikely dynamic duo, when this pair comes together they make music—literally. I’m of course talking about The J.M. Smucker Co.’s Jif® peanut butter brand and the hip-hop genre, as the company has announced its new Lil Jif Project campaign featuring key partnerships with rappers Ludacris and Gunna to show the connection between the two categories as well as tap into a new market of consumers.
"We are honored that both Ludacris and Gunna chose to collaborate with us to prove our theory correct," commented Rebecca Scheidler, Vice President of Marketing for J.M. Smucker Co.’s Jif. "We think 'Butter.ATL' is proof positive that everything IS better with Jif peanut butter."
The Lil Jif Project is part of the That Jif’ing Good campaign, celebrating shoppers’ love of peanut butter and the lengths they will go to for the taste of Jif peanut butter. According to a press release, the new project aims to open consumers’ minds to hip hop’s new style of flow and the great taste of Jif.
To kick off the campaign, Ludacris released “Butter.ATL,” which introduces a new style of flow courtesy of a mouthful of Jif peanut butter and inspiration from Gunna, one of today’s hottest rappers.
"Those who know me know I am a die-hard peanut butter lover—I even have it on my rider! The opportunity to bring together two things I love—Jif peanut butter and hip hop music—was a creative challenge I just couldn't pass up," said Ludacris. "I've been anticipating getting back into the studio for a while now, and I saw this as a cool way to merge the best of my roots, inspired by the amazing sounds from artists like Gunna, to see what new-to-the-world magic I could create."
A new commercial also aired on TV and online showcasing the story of how Ludacris can’t stop eating his favorite Jif peanut butter, even in the studio during a recording session.
The video also features a cameo from Gunna, and was headed by award-winning music video director, Dave Meyers.
"We do a ton of social listening for Jif, always keeping an ear out for opportunities. That's how the team stumbled upon the link between hip-hop's newer flows and peanut butter," said Erica Roberts, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis NY. "With a little digging, it was clear that the comments stemmed from differing stylistic opinions. So we set out to unite the two sides with the help of heaping spoonfuls of Jif peanut butter and some of the biggest names in hip-hop."
Other key parts of the project include:
"This project was an incredible collaboration; it bonded two rappers by their shared love of an iconic brand," said Bettie Levy, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BCL Entertainment, the Talent Producer for this commercial and campaign. "Ludacris contributed thoughtfully every step of the way to assure the creative was effective and current; this commercial and campaign would not have been possible without his genius, period. As for Gunna, his willingness to dive head-first into the idea was critical as well... and having a director like Dave Meyers and an agency like Publicis NY craft this unique and bold concept shows its creative excellence."
As Jif further spreads the word (pun intended) about its iconic peanut butter, who will be its next partner? Keep a tab open for Deli Market News for the latest.
