Inside Mike's Hot Honey's New Campaign: "You're Not Stoned. It's Just That Good."
When Mike Kurtz first heard the pitch for his new advertising tagline, he used his simplest test. He said it out loud in a room and waited for the reaction. They all laughed.
“I mean, I laughed, you know? And I think at the end of the day that is how I evaluate things,” Mike said. “You say it out loud in a room of people, and if people have a visceral reaction to it, you know it is probably going to work.”
That instant, genuine response sealed it.
“You’re not stoned. It’s just that good” was the perfect line to capture what Mike’s Hot Honey fans say they feel the moment they taste it.
From a Single Drizzle to a Nationwide Category
Mike's Hot Honey has been elevating everyday food experiences since 2010, when its first drizzle on a pizza at Paulie Gee's in Brooklyn sparked a nationwide sensation. That single moment created an entirely new category of pizza topping.
Mike started selling his hand-made bottles to the pizzeria's patrons and local businesses, driven by popular demand.
“I was working there making pizzas,” Mike recalled on the podcast. “The floor of the restaurant was open. You could see customers' reactions to tasting the honey on pizza. Everybody was having the same reaction, like ‘whoa.’ You know, this elevates.”
Today, Mike's Hot Honey is available in thousands of restaurants and retailers across the country. The same original recipe uses 100 percent pure honey infused with real chili peppers, delivering a signature sweetness and heat that makes any dish more dynamic.
From its classic pairing on pepperoni pizza to uses on chicken, cheese and charcuterie, vegetables, ice cream, cocktails, and more, Mike’s Hot Honey has become a kitchen staple for adventurous eaters everywhere.
Introducing the Campaign
After 15 years of grassroots growth, cult fandom, and steady category leadership, Mike’s Hot Honey is making its boldest move yet. The brand is launching its first national advertising campaign, “Drizzle the Mike’s.”
Created by newly appointed AOR Another Thing and backed by a cross-platform media plan from Noble People, the campaign is designed to amplify what fans already know. Mike’s Hot Honey is not just a condiment. It is a catalyst that transforms food into an experience.
“Seeing the way people talk about Mike’s unlocked something big,” said Kate Adams, VP of Marketing. “This isn’t just a condiment. It’s a catalyst. One drizzle changes how you feel about food. It’s indulgent, it’s joyful, and it’s just plain fun.”
How the Tagline and Concept Came to Life
The Another Thing team focused on a clear product insight: Mike’s Hot Honey changes the way you feel about food.
“The idea was that Mike’s Hot Honey elevates everyday eating experiences,” Mike explained. “These characters in the spots are drizzling and saying ‘Oh my God, this is incredible’ and then it is like, no, you’re not stoned. You do not have the munchies. It is really just that good.”
Fans have always been central to Mike’s Hot Honey’s growth. Their over-the-top social posts, creative pairings, and enthusiastic word of mouth shaped the campaign’s irreverent, playful tone and aesthetic.
A Creative Love Letter to Flavor Discovery
For Another Thing, this campaign is not just advertising. It is a love letter to those moments of flavor discovery.
“Mike’s is a character, not just a product,” said Nick Kaplan, co-founder of Another Thing. “This campaign plays like a flavor-forward short film, based on the real, emotional reactions we saw all over social.”
The campaign includes two 30-second hero spots directed by Hannah Pearl Utt of Arts & Sciences. Each is a blend of food love story and fever-dream energy designed to make viewers laugh and crave the product.
Check out the hero spots:
Pizza Chefs: Watch here
Ladies Lunch: Watch here
Authentic Production and Storytelling
The spots were filmed in a 1950s-era pizzeria in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, chosen for its authentic interiors and rich character.
“We have shot a lot of stuff in New York and New York is great,” Mike said. “But LA has the biggest, best casting pool of actors. You have the opportunity to work with the best talent both on the acting side and the production team.”
The Golden Girls Spot features older women in a diner booth drizzling Mike’s Hot Honey on everything from bacon to milkshakes.
“They felt like people you would want to hang out with and hear their stories,” Mike said.
The Pizza Shop Spot focuses on the dynamic between a veteran pizza maker and a young apprentice.
“That was me at Paulie Gee’s,” Mike shared. “When I started, I was working with Paulie’s son who was 18. Paulie’s motto was schmooze or you lose. He would be out front talking to customers while we hustled in the kitchen.”
Media Plan and Cultural Integration
Timed for summer blockbuster season, the campaign’s media buy spans connected TV, digital video, cinema, and social media. It is designed to meet eaters and drizzlers wherever they are watching and snacking.
A robust influencer activation will extend the campaign on social platforms, inviting creators to share their own “first drizzle” reactions and culinary hacks.
Mike emphasized that the entire approach is designed to last.
“This thing is going to run for a long time. It is evergreen. When brands run something familiar over time, people build a nostalgia for it and they feel something when they see it again.”
From Founder-Led Upstart to Category Leader
This campaign represents a turning point for Mike’s Hot Honey. What started with hand-made bottles sold out of the back of a Brooklyn pizzeria is now a national brand found in over 30,000 retail locations and more than 3,000 restaurants.
“Fifteen years ago, I drizzled hot honey on a pizza in Brooklyn. I had no idea it would spark a movement. This campaign is a celebration of that moment and the millions of fans who have drizzled ever since.”
Why This Matters
Mike’s Hot Honey’s new campaign demonstrates the power of authentic brand storytelling rooted in a simple, meaningful product insight. By combining humor, real characters, and settings that reflect the brand’s origins, the team created work designed to entertain, resonate, and sell.
For marketers, it is a clear example of what happens when you truly understand your audience and invest in creative that feels true to your brand’s spirit.
Learn More: Listen to the Full Podcast Episode
To hear Mike’s complete story in his own words, listen to the Breaking and Entering Brand Side Podcast. He shares how he turned a pizza-shop hobby into a national brand.
Hear about:
Growing up in Amherst and discovering his passion for food and film
The original recipe inspired by a trip to Brazil
Selling his first bottles at Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn
Building distribution and a national fanbase
The creative process behind the new campaign
🎧 Listen here:
Watch on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0k7s5scNgJJlgxYiOvxU63?si=jil7SdrWT9Kh6ECpAGQlGQ
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS1Js4CEnVg&ab_channel=Breaking%26EnteringAdvertising
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-and-entering-advertising-podcast/id1506434104
🔗 Want more B&E? Links Below!
💼 Follow on LinkedIn
Daily insights, creative breakdowns, and industry news.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/
📖 Read our Publications:
https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog
💬 Join our Unlocked Groupme, for aspiring advertising professionals and job announcements:
https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei
✉️ Subscribe to The Vault
Our insider newsletter with real advice and deep dives.
https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/
📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos:
https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/
🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising:
https://www.crowbarawards.com/
🤝 Work With Us
For sponsorships, custom content, or partnerships:
jack@breakenterpod.com
