Jif, the No.1 peanut butter brand, is diving headfirst into hip-hop culture and has aligned with Gunna and Ludacris. The most influential genre of the 21st century is ever-evolving, infusing new talent and trends that create new sounds and flows, keeping the art form fresh and exciting. Coming into the world of different flows is Jif, in an effort to curate a sound of its own.
“We do a ton of social listening for Jif, always keeping an ear out for opportunities. That’s how the team stumbled upon the link between hip-hop’s newer flows and peanut butter,” said Erica Roberts, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis NY. “With a little digging, it was clear that the comments stemmed from differing stylistic opinions. So we set out to unite the two sides with the help of heaping spoonfuls of Jif peanut butter and some of the biggest names in hip-hop.”
That line of thinking has led to the Lil Jif Project, the latest installment of That Jif’ing Good campaign. This creative activation has paired one of today’s hottest rappers in Gunna with a living legend in Ludacris. Luda released a new single, “Butter.ATL,” inspired by Gunna’s flowed and executed with a mouth full of peanut butter. The song is highlighted in a new spot on TV.
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“Consumers are savvy and can tell when a partnership feels off,” said Bettie Levy, Founder & CEO of BCL Entertainment, the Talent Producer for this commercial and campaign. “Ludacris and Gunna were the most authentic fit for this campaign considering their musical and creative prowess, friendship, and of course love of peanut butter.”
Speaking with The Source, Gunna reveals what led him to this match made in Atlanta and peanut butter heaven.
What let you know Jif was a good partner for this campaign?
Gunna: Jif asked me to be a part of this epic campaign with Ludacris. As a rapper myself, Ludacris has always been someone I looked up to.
Him representing the Atlanta hip hop scene, a place we both grew up in and have pride for, is a big deal to me. We even went to the same high school. So I couldn’t turn down this opportunity. And collaborating with a cool brand like Jif only sweetened the deal.
When Jif shared the idea with me, I was blown away and couldn’t stop laughing. And to top it off, Grammy award-winning music video director Dave Meyers was at the helm of the commercial. I had to respect Jif for embracing hip-hop talent and culture. Putting it on a commercial stage in such a clever and fun way. A stage the brand has always deserved.
What is it like for you to expand your personal brand to commercials?
Gunna: I’ve been grinding for years, coming up in the hip-hop game. Dropping hit after hit, partnering with Young Stoner Life Records, and working on personal projects in between. With Jif, I’m expanding my image into a more commercial space, and it’s only going to take me to new levels. I’m hyped to see what’s next.
How was it for you to work with a legend like Ludacris for this experience?
Gunna: Working with Ludacris was a great experience. Not only is he a legendary artist but he’s an amazing actor as well. Seeing him kill it on set, scene after scene was really inspiring.
Seeing talent like that born out of Atlanta just made me even more proud of the city I’m from. We got that heat! There’s so much amazing talent here and I’m glad that Jif gave us the opportunity to show that off.
