My favorite ad — Tess Adams Creative

Well, one of them. Here it is (see left). And not so much the ad itself, but the awesome strategy behind the entire brand messaging and identity since it began.

Look at it. Simple. Good. Great. And true (in my opinion). Nothing beats an old print ad for the best ketchup ever. Or in my case, ‘chup — because words sound cool when you take away a syllable or two.

I.e. If it’s not Heinz, I’m not having it.

Let’s go back to the early days of the Heinz Company to understand how and why this brand still resonates with us.

Back in 1869, when H.J Heinz founded the Heinz Company, branding was not yet integrated into society. Instead, businesses relied on word-of-mouth to generate awareness. And, they were selling horseradish, which people could make at home. This was a problem. What could Heinz make that people needed? A high quality, unique, all-American condiment present at your dinner table. Heinz has a belief: To Do A Common Thing Uncommonly Well Brings Success.

There are 4 reasons why Heinz sells:

Anticipation — Heinz prides themselves on having the “slowest ketchup.” The consumer anticipates every pour, but they control the product in real time, on their terms. In addition to indulging in the taste, watching the product is just as entertaining and satisfying.

Quality — A brand can say their products are high quality, but Heinz tells you how: their ketchup is not “made.” It is “grown.”

Allure — Heinz has 57 varieties, even though the company sells well over that amount. It increases the nostalgia factor and sticks with consumers. Also, these guys are very particular about the color red. Consumers can easily identify their product and their red, Red HTK 57.

Routine — Heinz has a dominating brand behavior. When Heinz is the first thing on the table, you know it’s time for dinner. When a product has a pavlovian effect, it’s powerful. In a 2021 campaign, Heinz asked people to draw ketchup, and sure enough, people drew Heinz.

Aside from being a great-tasting product, Heinz ketchup has a functionality, presence, and attitude that you just can’t pass up.