Miracle Whip joins in Colbert's mayonnaise fun

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-talk-miracle-whip-colbertnov13,0,4097052.story

Miracle Whip joins in Stephen Colbert's mayonnaise fun
Northfield-based Kraft rolls with comic Colbert's satiric punches
By Mike Hughlett
Tribune reporter
November 13, 2009

With Miracle Whip's street cred called into question -- OK, let's assume that's possible -- the venerable sandwich spread's maker, Northfield-based Kraft Foods Inc., took to the airwaves in its defense Thursday during Stephen Colbert's show.

On Oct. 15, the late-night comedian ran a parody of a Miracle Whip ad, deriding the product as "Miracle Wimp" and extolling mayo as the condiment with "plenty of attitude."

Kraft's original ad sports a youthful, in-your-face theme, complete with a herd of 20-somethings frolicking to a distorted guitar riff. "Don't blend in, don't be ordinary, boring or bland," the ad commands. "In other words, don't be so mayo. ... We are Miracle Whip, and we will not tone it down."

So Colbert rolled-out "The Mayo-lution will not be televised," an homage to -- as he put it -- the "illest condiment in the hiz-ouse."

Kraft sensed a marketing opportunity. It booked four spots on Colbert's Thursday night show. The ad footage was the same as that parodied by Colbert, but Kraft modified the voice-overs and copy, said company spokeswoman Joyce Hodel. In other words, Kraft is running with Colbert's gag.

Lost in the mayo bashing is the fact that Kraft is also one of the country's two main mayonnaise manufacturers. What's up with that, Miracle Whipsters?

"We think there is room for both," Hodel said.

mhughlett@tribune.com