Kraft Is Squeezing To Make One Of The Most Uncomfortable Terms Word Of The Year
By Mikelle Leow, 15 Nov 2023
Image via Kraft Real Mayo
Kraft Real Mayo is twisting and turning to make “moist”—egads—the Word of the Year.
Considering that “moist” is often associated with negative connotations, the move might put eaters off and render a cringe or two. Nevertheless, Kraft is determined to give the word a positive spin, linking it with the smooth and delicious qualities of its mayonnaise.
The brand is egging on the public to actively search for the word online, aiming to boost its popularity and transform its image. By making the term synonymous with the creamy texture of its mayo, Kraft hopes to bring together fans of the divisive condiment and reshape perceptions of the word itself.
Making the moist of its mission, Kraft is making its intentions known by erecting a six-foot sculpture of a Kraft Real Mayo jar right outside the headquarters of Merriam-Webster, one of the most-used dictionaries, in Springfield, Massachusetts.
“Dear Dictionary Gatekeepers,” the back of the jar reads. “Here is a 2023-pound jar of Kraft Real Mayo aka the Moist Maker, aka the Moistiest. For years, we’ve watched ‘moist’ be degraded by the internet… the media deeming it ‘universally hated. We won’t let this slander go on any longer!”
A dedicated Search Moist website enables visitors to effortlessly look up the contentious term on Merriam-Webster’s website by simply clicking a button, with the hopes of driving traffic to the dictionary’s listing for the word “moist.”
“Kraft Real Mayo is proof everything is better ‘Moist.’ Sadly, the internet hasn’t always agreed,” the brand shares on the site. “That’s why we’re hacking the Word of the Year competition by searching ‘Moist’ as many times as possible, to redeem this polarizing-yet-velvety-smooth word.”
Image via Kraft
In addition to these efforts, Kraft is hosting a ‘Search-A-Thon’ livestream on Twitch, featuring gaming influencers who are encouraging viewers to search for “moist” as frequently as they can. The #SearchMoist hashtag is also making its rounds on social media as part of this quirky initiative.
So far, Merriam-Webster has remained tight-lipped about the giant mayo jar on its premises.
[via Food & Wine and Marketing Dive, images via various sources]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.