Jif seeks to settle the debate about 'GIF' pronunciation

Brief:

Peanut butter brand Jif collaborated with GIF-sharing site Giphy to create a specially labeled jar that replaces its "Jif" branding with "Gif," per an announcement.
The J.M. Smucker-owned brand said the correct way to pronounce Jif is with a soft "g," and that GIF, the abbreviation for the graphic interchange format of shareable video clips, is pronounced with a hard "g." Jif is urging Giphy users to share their opinions on the correct pronunciation by using new, specially created GIFs that feature the brand.
Jif customers can participate in the conversation by tweeting those GIF files with the #JifvsGif hashtag. The brand sold out of its limited-edition "Giphy x Jif" jars just hours into the campaign.

Insight:

Jif's collaboration with Giphy is a clever way to put its brand into cultural conversations about the right way to say the word GIF, engaging with consumers in a social media debate that has gone on for years. The widely debated topic has been touched on by the likes of Hillary Clinton and Facebook in years past.

Jif isn't alone in collaborating with Giphy on digital marketing campaigns. Burger chain Wendy's last year debuted three branded video games in a digital arcade launched by Giphy. The Giphy Arcade lets users customize micro-games with their own graphics and music and share them with a hyperlink to its website.

Brands like Jif have shown their affinity for Giphy by sponsoring video clips that people share on social media and in their mobile messages. GIFs have become a key part of viral marketing efforts as mobile users expand their range of text communications to include emoji, digital stickers, memes and augmented reality lenses. About 71% of Americans use emoji, GIFs and digital stickers because they believe they can express their emotions better through images, according to a survey by GIF-sharing platform Tenor and Harris Poll.

By creating a jar of "Gif" peanut butter, the J.M. Smucker brand also taps into trends akin to CPG and QSR marketers, such as Oreo and Popeyes, in selling limited-edition products and merchandise that aim to create buzz by quickly selling out among loyal fans.