@wirecutter
Instagram · Talking Head Edit
@wirecutter Can you pick Kerrygold out of a butter lineup? NYT Cooking's Vaughn Vreeland (@vaughn) sure can! In this episode of Wirecutter Taste Test, Vaughn joins host Katie Quinn and writer Lesley Stockton to put 16 butters to the test — from salted to cultured and everything in between — to see how budget-friendly options compare to their pricier counterparts. Watch along at the link in bio.
Performance
Video #25977 · Talking Head Edit
[01]
Multiple speakers conduct a blind taste test comparing Kerrygold butter and Walmart's store-brand butter. They first identify the significant differences in color and taste, correctly guessing which is the premium brand. They then discuss the practical applications and performance differences in baking, before a writer explains the scientific reason for the variation in quality, attributing it to the diet of the cows (grass-fed vs. grain-fed).
[02]
[03]
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[05]
What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds
Title hook · 25%
WIRECUTTER TASTE TEST Kerrygold vs. Walmart Butter
Verbal hook · 20%
Right off the bat, huge color difference.
Visual hook · 55%
A split-screen shot showing two plates of sliced butter with a stark visual contrast: one is a vibrant yellow, and the other is a pale white.
[06]
Steal this for your own video
A split-screen shot showing beside with a stark visual contrast between and .
[07]
The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back
Hook
Immediately present a dramatic, undeniable visual difference between two competing items to establish a clear quality gap from the first second.
Payoff
Conclude with a pithy, philosophical maxim that summarizes the core lesson of the comparison, leaving the viewer with a memorable takeaway.
[08]
The structural pattern this video runs on
Framework
The Expert Deconstruction
A side-by-side comparison where an expert not only identifies the superior option but also provides a deep, scientific explanation for the qualitative difference, transforming a simple taste test into an educational reveal.
The Low-Tier Takedown
Deliver a swift, dismissive sensory judgment on the perceived inferior item, characterizing it as one-dimensional and lacking complexity.
The High-Tier Rhapsody
Describe the sensory experience of the superior item using evocative, metaphorical language that connects it to a positive, authentic origin.
The Confident Prediction
An expert confidently names the superior item before it's revealed, creating a moment of suspense and demonstrating authority.
The Satisfying Reveal
Visually confirm the identities of both items, validating the expert's prediction and satisfying viewer curiosity with a definitive answer.
The Functional Proof
Move beyond subjective taste to a practical, performance-based reason why one item is superior for a specific, real-world application.
The Root Cause Explanation
Unveil the core scientific or methodological reason for the difference in quality, providing the central educational payoff of the video.
The Sticky Analogy
Simplify the technical explanation with a humorous or highly relatable analogy to make the information memorable and shareable.
Can you pick Kerrygold out of a butter lineup? NYT Cooking's Vaughn Vreeland (@vaughn) sure can! In this episode of Wirecutter Taste Test, Vaughn joins host Katie Quinn and writer Lesley Stockton to put 16 butters to the test — from salted to cultured and everything in between — to see how budget-friendly options compare to their pricier counterparts. Watch along at the link in bio.
title · beginning
WIRECUTTER TASTE TEST Kerrygold vs. Walmart Butter
contextual · beginning
Salty
contextual · middle
Vaughn Vreeland WRITER AT NYT COOKING
contextual · middle
Lesley Stockton WRITER AT WIRECUTTER
informational · end
you are also what you eat eats.
call-to-action · end
See our full butter taste test on YouTube.
Right off the bat, huge color difference. Mhmm. Salt is the only thing I'm tasting. There's literally nothing else going on. I'm just hanging in the barn with these cows right now. This has to be Kerrygold. We no it. We knew it. I've been making a lot of buttercream. I do use Kerrygold usually when I'm making buttercream best because I like the flavor. Sometimes I don't get as sharp of a piped edge on my leaf tips. This butter pipes better. The reason why it has the texture that it does might not be a higher fat content is the quality of the fat. The grass fed cows produce butter that has, like, a much smoother, butterier fat, whereas grain fed cows Mhmm. It's like a crumblier texture. Yeah. That makes sense. And also, like gym bros, these cows consume protein powder. You are what you eat, and you are also what you eat eat.