ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PATTERNS IN THE MEDIA AND THE MARKETPLACE, br+c reads many publications and postings online. This one about Heinz catsup advertising meets many of the demands of our web entries in the Pattern Recognition section of our website.
• It points out an innovation in the way customers are being reached.
• It is an example of innovation in the YouTube business model, too.
• It is audience-logical; that is the outreach method makes sense and has a chance of being both successful and budget-wise.
• It brings many users to the message, either as participants, viewers or commentators.
• It takes risks, as the spin is in the hands of the participants and the results might not be entirely what the Heinz people would like to see; it can't be easily homogenized.
• This is also its strength; the message is by the people, about the people. It gives real insights on the product user group, more than older more limited methods like focus groups could ever accomplish.
Keep watching as the Heinz commercials churn out in front of us all on YouTube.
Heinz Pairs Ketchup With User-Generated Content
By Amy Corr, Monday, July 23, 2007
This isn't the first time Heinz has customized copy on its iconic ketchup bottle, but it is the first time both the front and back labels will be doctored.
The main component of the online, print and in-store packaging campaign is "Top This! TV Challenge," where consumers have until August 6 to create their own Heinz TV ad, upload it online, vote for favorites and keep their French fries crossed.
View the entries on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/contests_layout?name=TopThisTVChallenge&v=Tyk7j1ehoQc&goto=938
"If the old model was to spend money on TV advertising to get people to go to the store to pick up a bottle, the new one is to use the ubiquitous Heinz packaging to ask consumers to generate TV ads for us," said Michael Bollinger, director of client services for Smith Brothers Advertising, the agency behind both creative and media components.
Heinz created nine different bottle labels, using phrases such as "Hungry for Fame?" and "Starving for the Spotlight?" to drive consumers to the online contest. A whopping 57 million customized bottles were distributed, along with 200 million tailored ketchup packets dispersed throughout the food-service industry.
The Web site was additionally promoted via full-page ads in The New York Times and USA Today, along with a custom YouTube site, where more than 1200 videos currently reside. Click here to see one of my favorite entries. A final set of labels will launch this fall, once all submissions are uploaded, inviting shoppers back to TopThisTV.com to vote for their favorite spots.
Winning ads will be televised nationwide and the winner also receives... I'm sure it's on the tip of your tongue: $57,000.
Source: Amy Corr is managing editor, online newsletters for MediaPost. She can be reached at amyc@mediapost.com. www.mediapost.com
Brandt Ronat + Company (br+c) is a mature consulting/design firm specializing in creating brand and business sector positioning strategies, along with high-quality communications solutions, advertising and collateral systems that sustain. The core strength of br+c can be described by three words: analytical, balanced, creative. Through ANALYTICAL CREATIVE™, a proprietary process, br+c senior strategists bring the big picture on client opportunities into focus. A/C™ works to achieve a strong, rational, evidence-based set of variables to inform planning and development.
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