It addresses a significant issue impacting Heinz's brand reputation and customer trust in Turkey. The innovative "Is That Heinz?" campaign not only provided a creative solution for customers to verify ketchup authenticity, but also generated significant buzz and conversation around the issue. The unique Pantone color verification strategy resonated with consumers and the media, garnering attention and fostering positive brand perception. By highlighting Heinz's commitment to maintaining product integrity and enhancing the customer experience, the campaign demonstrates the power of PR in driving meaningful engagement and strengthening brand loyalty.

Situation:

In Turkey, many small street food restaurants were refilling empty Heinz ketchup bottles with lower-quality, non-Heinz ketchup to attract customers, misleading them about the product's authenticity. This practice tarnished Heinz's brand image and customer trust.

Brief:

The brief was to come up with a creative solution to address the issue of fake ketchup refilling and remind food lovers that there is only one true Heinz Tomato Ketchup. The campaign aimed to protect the brand's reputation and restore consumer confidence in the product.

Objectives:

Create an innovative way for customers to verify the authenticity of Heinz ketchup in street food restaurants.

Generate widespread media coverage and public awareness around the issue of ketchup refilling.

Increase the usage of genuine Heinz ketchup in street food restaurants.

Strengthen Heinz's brand loyalty and perception among consumers by showcasing their commitment to product integrity and quality.

The creative idea for the PR campaign was built around the concept "Is that Heinz?" The campaign aimed to help consumers quickly and easily identify the authenticity of Heinz ketchup in street food restaurants.

We identified the exact red color of Heinz Tomato Ketchup using the universal Pantone color scale and added a stripe of that color around the label of the ketchup bottles. This allowed consumers to compare the ketchup inside the bottle against the label's edge color, ensuring that it was genuine Heinz ketchup.

The idea was designed to earn attention from the target audience by:

Introducing a visual check to help consumers identify the authenticity of Heinz ketchup, increasing their trust in the brand.

Encouraging restaurants to use genuine Heinz ketchup by providing an innovative tool to prove loyalty to the brand.

Generating media buzz and public conversations, highlighting Heinz's commitment to quality and authenticity.

The campaign was built on the insight that consumers trust and value the taste of genuine Heinz ketchup but were often misled by street food restaurants refilling Heinz bottles with lesser quality ketchup. The key message aimed to communicate the importance of authenticity and Heinz's commitment to delivering a consistent, quality product.

Target audience: The campaign targeted food lovers, particularly those who frequent street food restaurants, as well as the restaurant owners themselves.

The PR strategy involved

Social media content showcasing the new bottle design and instagram filter showcasing the ‘’True Heinz Color’’ and inviting consumers to join the conversation about authentic Heinz ketchup.

Engaging with restaurant owners, distributing the redesigned bottles and encouraging them to use and promote genuine Heinz ketchup.

The combination of assets created a powerful narrative that reinforced Heinz's brand values and sparked conversations about authenticity in the food industry.

Launch: The redesigned Heinz bottles were introduced to the market, accompanied by a social media campaign using the hashtag #IsThatHeinz. Influencers shared their experiences with the new bottles, raising consumer awareness and encouraging discussions around the authenticity of Heinz ketchup.

Post-launch: Continuous engagement with restaurant owners, providing them with the new Heinz bottles and promotional materials. Media monitoring and analysis were conducted to measure the campaign's impact and gather feedback.

Follow-up: Ongoing communication with influencers, restaurants, and consumers, reinforcing the campaign's message and maintaining the momentum created by the initial launch.

Its scale extended from local markets in Turkey to international recognition, as the innovative approach to ensure authenticity was praised for its creativity and effectiveness

Media Outputs:

The "Is That Heinz?" campaign generated significant media attention, with 800K likes and over 2K tweets, reflecting its popularity and widespread reach. The coverage was characterized by quality and quantity, and the tone was positive, emphasizing the importance of quality and authenticity in the food industry. The message delivery was clear and concise, effectively conveying the campaign's objectives and raising awareness about ketchup fraud. The campaign also achieved an estimated $2.6 million in earned media results.

Target Audience Outcomes:

The campaign led to measurable changes in awareness, with 97% of consumers able to identify genuine Heinz ketchup, showcasing the effectiveness of the innovative bottle design. This improvement in comprehension contributed to shifts in perceptions, attitudes, and opinions, with Heinz being recognized as a transparent and trustworthy brand that values quality and consumer satisfaction. The target behaviors and actions were influenced, with restaurants prioritizing genuine Heinz products and a 73% decrease in refilling bottles with non-Heinz ketchup.

Business Outcomes:

The campaign's measurable effect on sales was significant, with orders of the new Heinz bottles soaring and proudly sitting on the tables of more than 500 restaurants across Turkey. This increased usage rate of Heinz ketchup in street food restaurants by 24%, demonstrating the campaign's positive impact on the brand's market share. The success in addressing ketchup fraud and reinforcing Heinz's commitment to quality and authenticity contributed to enhanced brand equity and improved reputation scores, solidifying Heinz's position as a leader in the food industry.

Turkey has a rich culinary culture with a wide variety of street food restaurants that offer a diverse range of dishes, attracting both locals and tourists. In this context, the use of high-quality ingredients, including condiments like ketchup, is essential for maintaining the reputation and authenticity of these establishments.

In Turkish culture, hospitality and customer satisfaction are highly valued. By refilling Heinz bottles with lesser quality ketchup, restaurant owners were attempting to satisfy customer preferences for the brand while cutting costs. The "Is That Heinz?" campaign resonated with the Turkish audience, as it tackled a culturally relevant issue and empowered customers to make informed choices while dining out. Also it is to mention that the culture amongst restaurants in Turkey, favors freebies given by providers. Thus the freebie bottles given by Heinz also improved relations while empowering authenticity of the brand and the restaurant.