New Johnsonville ad campaign with Vince Vaughn tells Americans to ‘Keep It Juicy’ and have fun amid divisive political climate

SHEBOYGAN FALLS — Johnsonville has launched a new advertisement campaign encouraging people to simmer down, take a break and get together.

The “Keep It Juicy” campaign, visualized in various commercial spots and voiced by actor Vince Vaughn, hopes to remind people to have fun in a politically divisive climate.

“It all kind of starts with the products,” Hold Fast Executive Creative Director Brian Ganther said. “Sausage is juiciest when it's cooked slow and low, and that way all the individual flavors and spices can hang out, get to know each other and that's kind of where we started. You know, when the temperature gets too hot, things flare up, things get uncomfortable, the spices hang out a lot less, so to speak.” 

The team saw this as a metaphor for how Americans are feeling right now, exhausted by anger and negativity, Ganther said.

In the National Temperature Check survey, Johnsonville and The Harris Poll found 80% of roughly 2,060 polled Americans said there are people they want to reconnect with. It also found people are gathering less and feel it's harder to have fun together.

“We've always known that great-tasting food brings people together, especially family Johnsonville sausage, right?” said Jamie Schmelzer, senior director of marketing for Johnsonville.

“What is particularly timely about this is that's just gotten harder for people lately," Schmelzer added. "And that's why ‘Keep It Juicy’ is just encouraging people to take a break, turn down the temperature, pull some good people together and enjoy a great meal.” 

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The 60-second and 30-second commercials utilize imagery like a block party and phrases like “pitch forks down, dinner forks up” and “block nobody, block party” to convey this message.  

Schmelzer said Vaughn was the right voiceover candidate for the campaign not only because he loves sausage but because of his delivery.  

“He's able to speak sort of very seriously about having fun,” Schmelzer said. “We think that if America is going to get through this get and keep it fun and keep it together in 2024, we're going to have to be intentional and purposeful about having fun. And Vince Vaughn, it's almost like he can give you that pep talk."

The “Keep It Juicy” campaign will air on television and radio and appear online and on social media. A Johnsonville truck fleet will be branded with the campaign as well.  

“It's a very hopeful idea,” Schmelzer said. “We don't expect sausage to fix the serious problems in America, but ‘Keep It Juicy’ is really an idea about we should all just be intentional about continuing to try.” 

Have a story tip? Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alexx_garner.