Kraft’s Miracle Whip Campaign Under Fire From Anti-Divorce Activists

Kraft’s “Not For Every Relationship” contest, which we covered last month, invites couples to answer the question “How Has Miracle Whip Affected Your Relationship?” by posting videos on YouTube. The stunt has caught the angry attention of Beverly Willett, vice chair of the Coalition for Divorce Reform.

Willett accuses the “other mayo” of contributing to “family dissolution,” and is asking others to join her in petitioning to oppose Kraft’s contest:

TELL US YOUR STORY ABOUT HOW MIRACLE WHIP HAS AFFECTED YOUR RELATIONSHIP FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $25,000 FOR YOUR WEDDING OR DIVORCE at www.miraclewhip.com is tasteless and an insult to the millions of children a year who experience their parents' divorce, the majority of whom as a result suffer negative long-term consequences.

The contest runs through August 23 with a grand prize of $25,000 to the winning couple, to be used towards a marriage or a divorce.

“Miracle Whip is a polarizing product,” says Sara Braun, director of the brand. “We’re trying to own up to this fact. It gives us license to play with the logical idea that a condiment could make or break a relationship.”

“We know divorce is a serious issue,” Braun continued, adding that the divorce angle was to keep Miracle Whip true to the “bold and extreme tone” of  the campaign, targeting a younger demographic.

Janice Shaw Crouse, senior fellow at Concerned Women for America takes umbrage:

When corporations ignore the mountain of social-science data that divorce is harmful especially to women and children, they contribute to the damage that children suffer into adulthood, to the disintegration of neighborhoods, communities and, ultimately, the nation. How irresponsible of Kraft to promote divorce when so many women’s hopes have been stolen away by divorce.

Some side with Willett, while others find the overreaction way out of proportion to the silliness of the contest. This comment, from Stu Braun, sums it up nicely: 

I grew up in the same household as the Miracle Whip marketing director. It has been a dream, nay, an obsession of hers to destroy families via lighthearted sandwich spread adverts since she was a toddler. I'm glad someone is finally exposing her. I hope it is not too late.

This Miracle Whip campaign has grabbed mindframe for the other mayonnaise in a cluttered and competitive landscape and true to form to the product it touts -- love it or hate it.