Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Rebranding and Native Advertising
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese announced a rebranding to "Kraft Mac & Cheese," marking its first name change in 85 years. The update includes a refreshed logo featuring a "noodle smile" with a cheese drip, which has been widely criticized as unappealing. Media outlets like Axios and CNBC are accused of running the press release as native advertising, while the brand manager, Victoria Lee, claims the change reflects how fans organically discuss the product.
kraft macaroni and cheese· rebranding· axios· native advertising· comfort food· victoria lee
00:00 What a bunch of sleazeballs. Melting cheddar and cheap macaroni together, and broadcasting live from the heart of the Texas Hill Country here in FEMA Region Number 6. In the morning everybody I'm Adam Curry And from Northern Silicon Valley where everybody thinks that Trump is a bad dude! You're telling me that they're still talking about Trump in California? They had these hearings here on again. Oh, not those hearings really did you watch it? No... Neither did I! But that's-that's not news we all know what the top news is
00:52 I mean this January 16th, what a failure. Ratings failure... narrative failure just a complete failure and it was they were completely usurped by a huge news story What news story was this? Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is rebranding its name to simply, Kraft Mac & Cheese. It's the first name change in the product's 85 year history. The company says the subtle change is meant to reflect the way fans talk about the brand and the box is getting a makeover too with their refreshed logo but they are keeping that familiar noodle smile you see it now oh I do see it! You see it? It's just ever so subtle yeah all right what's the change again
01:36 It's not macaroni and cheese, it's mac n' cheese. Oh okay got it. But that thing little smile is still there. The smile was still there yeah. It looks a little moderate. Mm-hmm. Little hip. Down with it. Easy. Yeah. Oh my goodness! How much money did they get paid for that native ad? This was everywhere every single news show everywhere...it wasn't native I had everywhere and that was let me see the timing of that I think that was at 30 actually what's that a thirty Let's see, that was... Yeah it was a 30 with little bit of pad so they went over just a tad. 35. Little bonus. Taste of the one minute. Now I bring this up because
02:18 Almost since the inception of this podcast, going on 15 years we have always said mac and cheese is what you slaves will be eating in the future. That future is here today! You slaves can get used to Mac n' Cheese! Mac n' Cheese! Mac n' Cheese! Macaroni and cheese with cheddar melted together! Mac N' Cheese! Mac N' Cheese! Mac N' Cheese! Living the Mac N' Cheese life... So just wanted to spike the ball if you don't mind. You know, the funny thing is that who cares about changing the name from macaroni to mac? No one gives a crap! But this is what they do... no and it's not news but if you pay you paid the slot. Boom 30 seconds native ad
03:05 So you're telling me that this was all over the place? All over the place. Oh, I must have received and the blog postings and CNBC oh! Now I can understand marginally where that might be an interesting story for CNBC fans It was a total network buy And they did the affiliates They did lots of affiliate buys I don't know man, if you look at this mac and cheese... the new mac and cheese. That smile they were talking about? It's kind of disgusting because the macaroni is a- Oh man do i have.. They had a description of this let me see if I wrote like- We have to find it that photo Well there has got be one on the internet There's like this drip of cheese goo right out of the corner of the so called mouth its Its kinda disgusting
03:59 What was the... Let me see, because there was a fantastic description. Make sure you get the right one don't get the wrong one! There we go. They're already ready to go. The press release? Goodness I wish... No how did i not Maybe this is it. Axios, here we go. This is axios. Axios there we go! Craft macaroni and cheese is changing name to craft mac and cheese Stop the presses! Axios! But wait for it... Wait a minute What is it? The uh so they had some some statements you know So this isn't this is real news outfit
04:48 So driving the news, the 85 year old brand revealed a new look Wednesday with dripping cheese. Like I don't want to tell you what it's about for its comfort food which still includes a noodle smile but now it's even more delicious and dripping with creamy cheesy goodness. They ran that in Axios? You're reading right from the page straight from the page That's disgusting that these guys would... What a bunch of sleazeballs! No, It gets better What they're saying is axios, okay? Kraft said the change from macaroni and cheese to mac and cheese is meant to reflect the way fans or get fans Organically talk about the brand all right. Let's just stop for a second you're delusional Yeah, they think in ridicule no No this is know that's not meant in ridicule. No I say they talk about the brand in ridicule Oh the people yeah the people exactly they're not fans It's a hate food
05:49 Quote, we know that people aren't turning to comfort food as a guilty pleasure. No they are positively embracing comfort saying yes to feeling good saying yes to caring Wait you're reading from the article is that from the press release? This is so it's it's the article and they're quoting Victoria Lee Kraft mac and cheese brand manager So I just want to get right out of the press release. Yeah, no course Of course they have a link to the press release love this again We know that people aren't turning to comfort food as a guilty pleasure No It's out of poverty you shits They are positively embracing comfort saying yes to feeling good saying yes to caring for themselves That's why they eat Cheap
06:34 macaroni with melted crappy cheese together. Well, it's a powder I think the Kraft product is a powdered product isn't it? Yeah you have to make the goo yourself You have to make it somehow yes Anyway Krafts new packaging will start to hit the store shelves in August The updated look will start to appear across the brand social channels and website this summer And that was the news I mean we can stop the show that's all anyone heard about. Well, i didn't hear about it oh my goodness all right so i'm looking at the package got to see what you're saying is get some like some some goop coming off this kind of kind of nasty kind and there's a spoon underneath it when you know like if cheese or i don't know you know it's not even cheese
