From Regional Favorite to National Sausage Champion.
When Johnsonville wanted to break out nationally, we didn’t start with focus groups or market research. We started by living it—spending time with real grillers at Lambeau Field tailgates and backyard barbecues across core markets. What we discovered changed everything: each griller had their own technique for creating the perfect brat, and those passionate stories became our creative foundation.
Instead of generic food advertising, we made grilling technique the hero. With Jim Belushi as our grilling coach, we created “Tips and Tricks” campaigns that educated newcomers while celebrating grilling culture. Our “Overcondimentized” and “Recipe” spots didn’t just sell sausages—they taught people how to unlock the full, juicy flavor that separates a great brat from a forgettable hotdog.
growth over five years
market position up from #3
(and a Silver, but who’s counting?)
A beloved brat lost in translation.
Johnsonville had passionate loyalists who treated brat grilling like a sacred ritual — but beyond that core, consumers were confused, intimidated, and reaching for something easier. A bratwurst by any other name was still a foreign word on a package.
Heaven on a bun starts with knowing what you're doing.
By turning grilling expertise into a teaching moment — and making the experienced griller the hero — Johnsonville gave the whole category a culture worth joining. Tips, tricks, Jim Belushi, and a package rename later, brat sales were up 26%, purchase intent hit the high 80s, and the most successful campaign in sausage history had a Gold Effie to prove it.
