Heinz Marks NASCAR Race with Ad That Needs to Be Slowed Down to Be Enjoyed

During one of the fastest moments on TV – the NASCAR race  – Heinz, the brand famously known for its slow-pouring thick and rich ketchup, is hijacking the race’s speed by doing what it does best with its latest ad - slowing things down. 

Heinz has long been rewarding those who take it slow, and its newest commercial during a race known for speed, reminds fans to do just that. Created by Rethink, this 0.57-second-long spot flashes by in the blink of an eye and must be slowed down to be enjoyed.

Don’t fret, ketchup lovers who realise some things in life are worth the wait, can go back to slow the ad down on the Heinz website to uncover a hidden DoorDash code for $5 off their next order.

Jacqueline Chao, senior brand manager, Heinz, comments: “If any brand can appreciate the value of slow, it’s Heinz. With our new spot, we’re excited to reward those who appreciate slowing things down – including our famously slow-pouring ketchup.” 

Mike Dubrick, CCO and partner at Rethink explains: "Of course it's important to find new ways to capture people's attention in broadcast, but the role of the brand and why you're doing it matters just as much. Heinz has been famously slow for over 100 years. So who better to pull something like this off? Figuring out how to get a 0.57 second spot on air was the challenge. So it’s been great working with our media partners to break new ground in broadcast and bring this to life." 

Leaning into the contrast of Heinz’s slow Ketchup versus NASCAR’s fast cars, Heinz deployed media surrounding the Pennzoil 400 on March 5th, including a custom hyper-targeted video unit that allows consumers to 'slow-down' our super-fast spot for a chance to redeem a hidden DoorDash delivery code. Targeted Instagram and TikTok videos encouraged consumers to enjoy slow Heinz Ketchup and experience the super-fast video on a microsite, for a chance at a DoorDash code.