My favourite campaign is 'Made the Johnsonville Way': Snehasis Bose

Which is your favourite campaign and why?

I would be lying if I claimed to have one campaign in my hall of favourite ads of all time (there is a reason it’s a “hall”), but the campaign I want to share here is one which stands out for its sheer inventiveness: Done in 2015 by Droga5 for their client Johnsonville Sausage called “Made the Johnsonville Way.”

Johnsonville Sausage believes in its employees having a stake in their brand and Droga5 took this employee empowerment core to a whole new level and asked them for their own Johnsonville Sausage ad scripts. They then turned the ideas into some emotionally compelling, some very funny and some just odd pieces.

Starting with the “Behind The Scenes” of the employees pitching the ideas to executing some of the ideas with the razzmatazz and budgets of a regular Hollywood commercial. Then coming back with a sequel the year after and solemnising the whole campaign with the declaration of National Bratwurst Day, or as Johnsonville Foods calls it, “Bratsgiving”, replete with its own “Santa Claus of Sausage.” And a theme song that wanted fans to compete to complete and win... what else but Johnsonville Sausage!

Snehasis Bose Executive director, Planning, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi

On what parameters did you base your decision?

Tradition says finding the right consumer insight (aka social tension aka the right need gap) + the right product truth (aka it’s unique selling proposition) + the right mediums = advertising that will make all the difference between ignorance and trials.

Tradition ignores the culture of the company which, in turn, forms the bedrock of the products and services it produces which should be the actual foundation for the communication pivot.

Droga5 subverted tradition and the category communication by hunting for the key element binding the Johnsonville culture: “One big brat-lovin' family” and then making that literally the inspiration for the brand narrative.

What do you feel was the key idea behind the campaign?

Using the organisation’s culture and its products as a silver bullet. Aligning the communications to the doing-it-the-Johnsonville-way culture and product truth in a seamless, entertaining and memorable manner. The magic lies in the combination of the in-retrospect-obvious idea + the never-done-before execution.

Do you remember the campaign winning any advertising awards? Do you think these awards serve any purpose?

The advertising and marketing fraternity recognised the campaign with two graphite and three wood D&AD pencils, a One Show bronze, one sliver and two bronze at Cannes Lions. The consumer in the world at large rewarded the campaign with 90 per cent net positive sentiment in social media and the 58 per cent lift to breakfast sausage market share.

Was any of your own works inspired by the campaign?

At Saatchi & Saatchi, using of the company’s culture and its products as the starting point for communications is formalised in a process called the Living Business Idea. The aim being reaching communications platforms and messaging which has the whole business propelling it forward. In our experience, communication that is true to the culture of the company works faster, better in connecting with the consumer and earning her share of heart.

Brand: Johnsonville Sausage
Year of launch: 2015
Agency: Droga5