Challenge & Goals

Heinz ketchup is known as the definitive ketchup. Over the past 150 years, it’s become a true global icon. But being the original comes with its own set of challenges, one being that Heinz was becoming seen as old and nostalgic to younger audiences. Purchase consideration scores lagged with this younger target, and Heinz began to fall out of the cultural conversation. 

Our objective was to reinvigorate an emotional connection with Gen Z by captivating them by designing a relevant brand experience that spoke to their values while reinforcing the timeless, iconic status of Heinz Ketchup.

Insights & Strategy

Our design challenge was to connect a legacy brand with a younger generation. But to do so meaningfully, we needed to tap into a truth about their lives and values. It was time to take Heinz out of the bottle and into the lives of these younger consumers. 

We also recognized that these days, every brand is trying to connect with Gen Z, and many are using branded clothing collabs to do it. From fried chicken sandals to pizza parkas, the collaboration game is not only saturated – it’s a contributor to fast fashion and deeply unsustainable. 

In digging into the values of this younger generation, we learned that they care a lot about sustainability. Research shows that Gen-Z and millennials recognize the enormous environmental impact of fast fashion – which is responsible for up to 8 percent of global carbon emissions. We even found that 62% of the demographic look for second-hand clothing rather than purchasing new. As a result, used clothes with wear-and-tear, and even stains, are being embraced.

That’s when we realized something – Heinz has already designed a clothing line. Our ketchup has been leaving stains on the biggest brands in fashion for over 150 years. Why design a whole new collab when your brand is already on clothes all over the world?

Execution & Craft

Introducing Heinz Vintage Drip, a thrifted collection of luxe and streetwear brands, all with Heinz stains. We tapped into Gen-Z’s love for thrifting by avoiding fast fashion and instead using the branded clothes we already have. 

We designed the Heinz Vintage Drip collection in partnership with thredUP,  the world’s largest resale platform and a pioneer in fashion sustainability. As of year-end 2021, thredUP has displaced 1.3 billion pounds of carbon emissions, processed 137 million unique secondhand items and decreased US-based shipping emissions by 54%. They were the perfect credible partner to bring our zero-waste collection to life, which featured 157 unique items from brands like Christian Dior, Adidas, and Guess, all with Heinz ketchup stains. By embracing Heinz stains as a brand icon, we designed the world’s biggest (unauthorized) fashion collab. 

Leading up to New York Fashion Week, we launched the campaign with OLV, social assets, and a native shoppable unit featuring fashion models proudly flaunting our ketchup couture. All assets drove people to visit www.thredup.com/heinz to browse and purchase items from the collection. 

Results & Impact

The campaign was an immense success, garnering over 1.75 billion earned impressions – more than 400% above our benchmarks. 

Heinz Vintage Drip also scored a full segment on the Drew Barrymore Show, organic praise from the singer SZA, and was featured on CBS, Unilad, and The Daily Mail. Even other brands like Tide and Burger King jumped in on the action with unsolicited responsive social posts. 

Simultaneously, pieces from the collection were worn by streetwear icons like Antoni Bumba, Nazjaa, Sym Clarke, Izzi Poopi and Mirian Njoh at NYFW, who rule the fashion world for Gen-Z audiences. While other brands embraced fast fashion collabs, Heinz tapped the thrifting trend to get more life out of secondhand clothes - and put the stain in sustainability.

Most importantly, the zero-waste, thrifted collection proposed a bold design alternative to disposable fast-fashion brand drops. The collection quickly sold out, with all proceeds going to Rise Against Hunger.