As conversation starters go, “What do you think of Miracle Whip?” probably seems unlikely—you wouldn’t think many people have strong opinions about the slightly-sweeter-than-mayonnaise sandwich spread. But when marketers at Kraft began researching shoppers’ attitudes toward the dressing, they found surprisingly deep emotions. It turns out that a substantial number of people love Miracle Whip, and many others detest it. In 2011 Kraft launched ads that sought to make a virtue of the schism. The campaign used love-’em-or-hate-’em celebrities, including Pauly D from Jersey Shore and the political pundit James Carville. Some people in the ads praised Miracle Whip’s yumminess, but one character said he’d break up with his girlfriend if he learned that she liked the dressing. Another said, “I’d rather lick your shoe” than try it. “Miracle Whip is a polarizing product,” the brand director, Sara Braun, explained at the time. “We’re trying to own up to this fact.” The strategy worked: During the campaign Miracle Whip experienced a 631% surge in social media postings and a 14% increase in sales.
A version of this article appeared in the November 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review.