It took me a lot of thought and time to decide on an ad. After deciding that the MTV HIV ad was too racy to post, I kept coming back to this one, because it’s so creative and speaks volumes with a single image and one line. If you watch TV, see billboards, or flip through a magazine at the doctors office, you have seen this ad. Designed by Heinz for their famous brand of ketchup in 2007 in London, it’s one that sticks in your memory.
It’s been run in women, food and family magazines targeting the shopper and dinner planner in the family, mostly women. The bottle cut in horizontal lines like tomatoes stacked one on the other, it plants the idea of freshness in the minds of consumers. It’s an idea of healthy and fresh tomatoes in a bottle. To reinforce this idea, the catch phase Heinz adopted “No one grows ketchup like Heinz” is listed in the bottom for it’s tagline. I can’t think of a better way to get their message across to the consumer than tomatoes.
The uncluttered ad has a red background that highlights the bottle by making the background a red ombre. The tagline on the bottom of the page is eye catching, but not so much as to take away from the main idea of the ad, the sliced up bottle made to make you think of fresh tomatoes bottled fresh for you by Heinz.
It’s a fun and bold way to single your attention to your favorite condiment while flipping though your favorite consumer magazine. When I first saw the ad, it gave me a chuckle. When I saw the ad when I was browsing the internet for something I could write about, it sparked my memory of seeing it before. It’s no surprise it’s one of the best ads out there. It’s simple and direct. It makes me think of a bunch of tomatoes, but it might make someone else think of something else. It may take my neighbor to a tomato farm, or an art student to abstract art. Either way, Heinz is getting the mission across. “Growing” the best ketchup available for your family.
I dove into Heinz website after deciding on the ad, and they are really backing the idea of growing ketchup fresh, hence the reason I called it their catch phase earlier. They have a growing seeds campaign, and pride themselves on being home grown. In fact, on the home page of their website you will find:
“Grown, Not Made.® It’s no wonder Heinz®Tomato Ketchup is the world’s favorite. Only the firmest, juiciest, freshest tomatoes make it into our bottle.”
Are they trying to draw us away from the idea that a condiment is full of sugar and empty calories and make us think it’s nutritious and healthy? They do have a history with the food pyramid. Personally, I’m excited when I am having french fries and the waitress or waiter reveals the bottle of Heinz Ketchup. There is nothing more disappointing than opening the to-go bag and find “fancy ketchup”. Yuck. You really can taste the Heinz difference, and I am guessing…if you are a dipper, you buy Heinz! I love their ketchup and their long and loving history in Pittsburgh, PA.
When you think of ketchup, you think of Heinz. They have enjoyed their positions in #1 or #2 in their market for years around the world. This ad signifies what they are trying to get you to think. “Grown, not made”.
dmsmith007 
Great ad you’ve selected; although I’m wondering about the one that you’ve mentioned as being too racy to post – perhaps I’ll have to search for that one on my own. Heinz is definitely on to something with this ad. I appreciate the clear link between the visual and the tagline/headline they’ve used. I’m in agreement that this is one of the main ketchup brands I purchase because of it’s thickness/heartiness – like real tomatoes.
I am inclined however to double check their ingredient listing on the bottle. There’s so much “other stuff” put into our food today that it makes everything a bit of a tough sell for me when I’m in one of my moods or kicks on being concerned about what I’m eating. That said I willingly put many things I know aren’t good for me into my body so I really just sound hypocritical.
Thanks for the excellent share!
*I just have to add, “ketchup is a spice, right?” – it’s too midwestern not to ask 🙂
Good insight regarding Heinz may be trying to draw us away from the idea that a condiment is full of sugar. I was interested in the other brands ingredients compared to Heinz so I looked them up on-line; they all have pretty much the same ingredients, Tomato Concentrate Made From Red Ripe Tomatoes, high fructose and corn syrup.
I haven’t seen this ad before but I do like its simplicity while getting its message across.
This is a great ad! It’s clean and creative. You feel like the tomatoes come right off the vines and are immediately put in the bottle. More and more American’s love fresh and natural ingredients in their food. Heinz uses great visuals and text to communicate that concept. Good job lady!