Across the Aisle: Johnsonville Is “Turning Down the Temperature”
How a Wisconsin-based sausage company is responding to online outrage with humor and humanity.
When Jamie Schmelzer, vice president of marketing at Johnsonville Sausage Company, stepped up to the podium in Washington, DC at BFA’s event Across the Aisle, he knew the setting was unusual. But in a way, it felt fitting. “The sausage always follows the bacon,” he joked, referring to a prior speaker from the office of U.S. Representative Don Bacon. The clever icebreaker turned out to foreshadow a surprisingly profound message.
Schmelzer wasn’t there to sell sausage — at least not directly. He was there to talk about outrage culture, national exhaustion, and how a sausage company found itself making a case for civic togetherness.
Sausage Isn’t Addictive — But Outrage Is
Johnsonville makes the kind of food people enjoy when they’re together: at cookouts, tailgates, block parties, and brunch. But their marketing team began noticing a problem: people weren’t gathering like they used to. Data backed it up — more than 60% of Americans reported hanging out with people less than they used to. That’s bad for a company that thrives on social moments.
But something else was happening too. Outrage — on the news, on social media, in politics — was everywhere, and it was exhausting. Unlike sausage, Schmelzer said, “outrage is addictive.” It lights up our brains and keeps us doom-scrolling. And unfortunately, the free market has figured out how to profit from it.
In 2023, Johnsonville decided to ask the country a simple question: “Do you agree that there’s too much outrage in America and you wish we could turn down the temperature?” 82% said yes.
In today’s polarized environment, that level of agreement is rare. “We thought, wow — 82%? You don’t get 82% of America to agree on anything,” Schmelzer said. “Maybe somebody should say something. Maybe it should be us.”
Cooking Up a Campaign — with Caution
Johnsonville didn’t leap into culture commentary blindly. They brought their entire marketing team together in Chicago and did something unusual: they hired two political consultants — one conservative, one progressive — to test their message.
The result? “They disagreed on plenty,” Schmelzer said, “but they agreed on this: what you have here is a unity message. But be warned — a small percentage of Americans don’t want unity.”
Johnsonville made a conscious choice: agree to disagree with the loudest minority and speak to the majority who were craving common ground. They partnered with Harris Poll to launch what they called the Johnsonville National Temperature Check, a nationwide survey focused not on division, but on what Americans actually agree on.
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And the findings were striking:
- 84% said there’s too much outrage in America.
- 91% said seeing people do positive things for one another makes me want to do positive things for someone else.
- 89% wished social media was less negative.
- 64% said having fun with people is harder than it used to be.
- Yet 90% agreed that it is important for communities to have fun together. Especially when things aren’t perfect.
“Keep It Juicy”: A Movement, Not a Moment
In April 2024, Johnsonville launched its new campaign with a bold tagline: “Keep it juicy.” The message? Rage dries us out. Connection and community keep us juicy.
The campaign included a full-page ad in The New York Times, tongue-in-cheek digital content, and outreach across social channels. Johnsonville even ran an ad during the first presidential debate in September, inviting viewers to imagine a less heated, more hopeful America — complete with a grill, fresh air, and yes, sausage.
They didn’t stop there. When they learned Scranton, Pennsylvania was drowning in more political ads than anywhere else in the country ($81 million to be exact), Johnsonville showed up with a sausage cart full of free brats and Brian Baumgartner — AKA Kevin from The Office, a TV show set in Scranton. “We had Harris supporters and MAGA hats agreeing that there were more productive ways to drop $81 million in that town.” Schmelzer said. “It felt like something real.”
Progress Tastes Better Together
Despite the campaign’s success — both in consumer response and brand visibility — the deeper challenge remains. Johnsonville re-ran the National Temperature Check in early 2025. The numbers got worse. More people than ever say they’re hanging out less, feeling more divided, and more exhausted.
But Johnsonville isn’t giving up, because 91% of us agree that we make more progress when we have fun together. Their plan is simple:
- Keep making great sausage, obviously.
- Encourage Americans to pay attention to issues important to them — but also to make time for fun with each other.
- Ask for help — because they can not do this work alone.
Since the event, Johnsonville launched the campaign’s next phase to address the nation’s “fun deficit” by kickstarting the country’s 249th birthday celebration. “We know lots of organizations — even the White House — are focused on America’s 250th in 2026,” said Schmelzer in a press release. “But the data is clear: America needs fun now. We’re encouraging people to celebrate our 249th because many of us agree that having fun together is an important part of making progress.” Watch the new spot!
As Schmelzer closed his talk at the BFA Across the Aisle event, he reminded the room of something most marketers don’t say out loud: “We’re not trying to fix America with sausage. But if we can remind people to laugh, to hang out, to share a meal, and maybe see each other as human again — well, that’s something.”
In a city where politics can pull people apart, a sausage company reminded everyone that sometimes, the most radical thing you can do… is invite people over and fire up the grill.
Business has a vital role to play in bridging divides and strengthening our democracy. Let’s lead by example — finding common ground and driving civic progress together. Learn more at bfa.us.
