Heinz masterbrand ‘It has to be…’: Chips with everything

It is fair to say that the Heinz brand has come a long way since Henry J Heinz and his pal L Clarence Noble joined forces in 1869 to launch Heinz Noble & Company in Pennsylvania and began marketing horseradish, made in a basement.

Not that it started too well. Within six years, poor Clarence was out on his ear as the company had gone bust. In 1876, however, Heinz founded another company, F & J Heinz, with his brother John and a cousin, Frederick, and one of this company’s first products was Heinz Tomato Ketchup and the rest, as they say, is history.

Fast forward nearly 150 years, Heinz now manufactures food products in plants on six continents, and markets these products in more than 200 countries and territories. The company claims to have 150 number-one or number-two brands worldwide.

But no company can afford to just sit back and take the plaudits, and this week sees has the launch of a new masterbrand campaign that celebrates Britain’s favourite food pairings, with new taste-focused creative.

Developed in partnership with Wieden + Kennedy London, ‘Trigger the Taste’ taps into a simple but powerful insight: Heinz is synonymous with great taste.

Rolling out nationwide, the campaign features close-ups of Heinz’s top products, from ‘Seriously Good’ Mayonnaise to Heinz Baked Beanz.

According to the official blurb, at least, “every image is designed to trigger memories of the unmistakable taste of Heinz, and the feeling of anticipation it creates – the moment when fries call for ketchup, or when warm bread meets comforting soup”.

In a twist on its ‘It Has to Be Heinz’ tagline, each creative also replaces ‘Heinz’ with the food that completes the pairing – Chips, Toast, Fries, or Bread.

Pre-launch testing revealed that the connection was immediate: over 70% of consumers identified Heinz as the brand behind the campaign, apparently showing that the anticipation Heinz creates is second nature.

Kraft Heinz, UK+I director of taste elevation and masterbrand Thiago Rapp said: “At the heart of the campaign, is the idea that certain foods are inextricably linked in our minds – and that Heinz is the perfect partner to bring out the best in them.

“Like Beanz on toast, or soup with warm buttered bread, it’s the simplicity of ‘Trigger the Taste’ that speaks to the unrivalled taste and quality of Heinz – something we’re leaning into to solidify ourselves as the most irresistible food brand.”

‘Trigger the Taste’ rolls out with nationwide OOH activity in major cities including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Leeds. Heinz is also taking taste to the roads wrapping its delivery trucks, as well as London’s red buses, which will be transformed into larger-than-life canvases celebrating Heinz’ Ketchup and Beanz. The campaign will also be launched in major European markets including Spain.

W+K London creative directors Joe De Souza and Juan Sevilla said: “Heinz’s iconic taste is at the heart of consumers’ irrational love for the brand. And it’s what led us to the campaign idea. You really can’t see ketchup without thinking about fries; or Heinz Beanz without thinking: ‘toast’.

“We loved the simplicity of this insight, and also the chance to play with the subconscious.

“We didn’t need to overexplain it – the logo says it all; and you could say the campaign pretty much wrote itself. Ultimately, we love it because it shows that Heinz is all about one thing: great-tasting food. Simple as that.”

So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?

Well, first we need to recognise that not many brands would be able to achieve such recognition that they could get away with not even having their name on the ad. Secondly, we’ve all grown up on this stuff – ketchup, baked beans even salad cream (OK we’re showing our age; mayonnaise was way too posh in our household) – so there is nostalgic, rather than “irrational”, love for Heinz.

Right, we’re feeling peckish now, so we’re off to grab a bowl of tomato soup, followed by chips with mayo (yep, we’re coming over all Belgian)…anyone fancy it?

Decision Marketing Adometer: A “masterful” 10 out of 10