skills/creative-director/references/legendary-campaigns/cards/marmite-gene-project-2018.md

---
id: marmite-gene-project-2018
title: "The Gene Project"
brand: Marmite
agency: adam&eveDDB
year: 2018
country: UK
region: europe
industry: cpg
pattern: [P11, P09]
category: integrated
idea_type: non_advertising
involvement: participation
channel: hybrid
duration: campaign
goal: [awareness, engagement, trial]
budget: medium
emotion: [ironic_sincerity, surprised]
emotion_tier: 3
insight_domain: identity
media_epoch: viral_first
awards: [cannes_gold, multiple]
quality_score: 8
scalability: universal
risk: edgy
confidence: high
quality: full
source_url: https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2018/pr/26600/the-gene-project/
---

# The Gene Project (Marmite · 2018)

## Insight
Marmite's "love it or hate it" positioning is so strongly held that consumers believe their preference is innate — perhaps even genetic.

## Mechanic
Marmite partnered with a genetics company to create a real DNA test that could indicate predisposition to loving or hating Marmite. Consumers submitted saliva samples; results were delivered with personalised Marmite-branded reports. PR expanded the debate about taste genetics.

## Why it worked
Taking the brand's oldest claim ("love it or hate it") and making it literally, scientifically testable was absurdist at the level of an idea but entirely real as an execution. The product turned a slogan into a biological fact-finding exercise, generating massive earned media.

## Steal
When your brand has a claim that audiences accept as a joke, make it literally, verifiably true. The joke becomes proof, and proof generates media at a fraction of paid advertising cost.

## Related
- Pattern: [[../MOC-pattern.md#p11]]
- Sibling: [[metro-trains-dumb-ways-to-die-2012.md|Dumb Ways to Die]]
- Sibling: [[old-spice-man-your-man-could-smell-like-2010.md|The Man Your Man Could Smell Like]]
- Emotion match: [[absolut-absolut-campaign-1981.md|Absolut _____]]

---

*Author: Serge Shima ([t.me/aimastersme](https://t.me/aimastersme) · [sergeshima.com](https://sergeshima.com) · [aimasters.me](https://aimasters.me)) · License: CC BY 4.0 — attribution required · Source: [smixs/creative-director-skill](https://github.com/smixs/creative-director-skill)*