Jif Peanut Butter Teams Up With GIPHY To Settle GIF Pronunciation Debate

The makers of peanut butter and the makers of GIFs are finally joining one of the internet's most hotly debated topics: the pronunciation of GIF.

In conjunction with GIF provider and creation hub GIPHY, Jif peanut butter released a special container of their savory spread that reads "GIF Animated Lopoping Images" on the label. Putting a pin in their point, the label reads, "Hard g pronunciation," indicating that the two companies are on the Hard G side of the debate. They're also releasing a classically-spelled version of the label with the text "Soft g pronunciation."

When is it okay to call a GIF a “Jif”? Never. Help us put the lid on the infamous internet debate once and for all. #JIFvsGIF https://t.co/INoJNiquwq

— Jif® Peanut Butter (@Jif) February 25, 2020

In a press release, however, they indicate that the purpose of the jar (pronounced "gar") isn't to fan the flames of argument, but rather to have some fun.

"We’re teaming up with GIPHY to put a lid on this decade-long debate and prove there is only one Jif," said vice president of marketing of Jif Rebecca Scheidler in a press release. "It’s creamy, delicious peanut butter, not a looping picture you can send to make friends and family laugh."

However, despite what GIPHY and the peanut butter brand that's not nearly as good as Skippy say, this will likely not be the last word in the debate. In 2013, the creator of the GIF, Steve Wilhite, attempted to give the last word in the debate.

"The Oxford English Dictionary accepts both pronunciations," he told The New York Times. "They are wrong. It is a soft ‘G,’ pronounced ‘jif.’ End of story."

At the time, Jif peanut butter took the chance to chime in on Twitter.

We're nuts about him! RT AlanKercinik</a>: So, how much does <a href="https://twitter.com/Jif?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Jif love Steve Wilhite today?

— Jif® Peanut Butter (@Jif) May 22, 2013

It's pronounced Jif® #Jif #GIF http://t.co/zJl0QMSdYS

— Jif® Peanut Butter (@Jif) May 22, 2013

If you feel passionate about the debate, you can buy the jar for $10 on Amazon. Or you could choose to consider this as another cynical attempt to advertise to the extremely online, which, depending on how you pronounce GIF, is probably what you're thinking.

H/T Mashable