DUDE Showcases Heinz’s San Siro Sandwich Heroes

There is only one thing Italians love as much as their food, and that is football. Every match comes with its unique and magical rituals whether in a stadium, at home, or restaurant.

It’s undeniable that, in Italy, the most recognised association with football is the sandwich. It is this special relationship that inspired Heinz’s new brand platform for sauces - “Proud Sponsor of Calcio Mangiato” - created by DUDE Milan. “Calcio Mangiato” means “Eaten Football”, which links the brand to all those moments where the football world meets the food world, starting with the iconic ritual of the pre- or post-match sandwich consumed outside the stadium.  

At the heart of this ritual are Mauro, Sofia, and Ruggiero – the sandwich makers and protagonists of the Stadium Heroes activation and “Proud Sponsor of Calcio Mangiato” campaign. It highlights the paradox of their proximity to their football team at San Siro every Sunday, yet being unable to go inside the stadium and enjoy a game as football lovers.

Heinz gave the sandwich makers the opportunity to step inside the stadium for the first time in their career to watch a game and be part of the crowd of fans. The entire stadium thanked them with a standing ovation and special announcement over the speakers.

To ensure the seamless continuation of the sandwich-making tradition, and to make sure that no-one went hungry, Heinz arranged for three Italian chef influencers to take over and keep the sandwiches flowing. 

An undoubtedly unforgettable day for Mauro, Sofia, and Ruggiero, our genuine heroes of the stadium. But that's not the end of the story: in 2024, Heinz and DUDE are gearing up to spread the spirit across Italy, celebrating the unfaltering love shared between food and football.

The campaign is running on Italian TV and Heinz Italia Facebook, YouTube and Instagram channels. The influencers who took part in the film also covered the activation on their channels with interviews and special recipes created for the occasion.

“We wanted to celebrate the real stadium heroes who never stop working hard to make every match an unforgettable moment. At the end of the day it’s the same thing we do with our sauces: adding flavour to make the experience unique.” said Fiamma Odette Sinibaldi, senior brand manager sauces, The Kraft Heinz Company.

“The list of brands that one way or another try to link itself to the football world is endless," stated Livio Basoli, chief creative officer & partner of DUDE Milano - “but very few have a real bond with this sport and even fewer have something new to say about it. With “Calcio Mangiato” we created with Heinz a new creative platform that showcases a never seen before yet universal angle of this sport: the one where food and football meets, creating unique stories. Stadium Heroes is just the beginning, we cannot wait to tell more”.