Kraft Heinz enlists diners to urge restaurants to offer its ketchup

Correction: The launch date of the “Tip for Heinz” program was misidentified in a previous version of this brief. The correct launch date for the program is Nov. 30.

Dive Brief:

Kraft Heinz’s new “Tip for Heinz” program urges restaurants to carry Heinz Ketchup, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The push includes social media and out-of-home (OOH) activations.
Starting Nov. 30, consumers dining at restaurants that don’t offer the brand’s ketchup can leave an extra $1 “Tip for Heinz” on their receipt and share it online for a chance to win a gratuity reimbursement or have their bill paid in full. The program ends Dec. 21.
The brand is offering a free year-long supply of ketchup to the first 10 restaurants that switch to Heinz. The move follows other playful nudges made by Kraft Heinz this year to push its condiment offerings.

Dive Insight:

Kraft Heinz’s restaurant play follows company research that polled 1,372 people and found that, while 77% of U.S. consumers prefer Heinz Ketchup when dining out, 44% report they feel like there’s nothing they can do to change the ketchup brand that restaurants carry. “Disappointed” was the most commonly used word by consumers when describing their feelings when a restaurant doesn’t carry Heinz.

This year has seen Kraft Heinz unveil a slew of playful advertisements promoting its products. In a recent example, the company created WheresTheMac.com to encourage consumers to unleash bots that engage with McDonald’s on Twitter asking that its Mac & Cheese product be added to the fast-food chain’s burgers. Now, Kraft Heinz is pledging $125,000 in pursuit of getting its ketchup in more restaurants.

To participate, diners must submit their receipt via a landing page or on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags #TipforHeinz and #sweepstakes to receive up to $20 for a gratuity reimbursement. Some will have their bill paid in full.

The effort could drive positive brand sentiment, arriving at a time when consumers continue to chase in-person experiences following pandemic restrictions and as restaurants battle to recoup losses from a troubling two years. The brand is promoting the effort through OOH placements in Times Square and on billboards in Chicago, as well as on Instagram and TikTok.

Kraft Heinz’s latest move follows others to promote its condiment products. Timed to Halloween, Heinz brought back its Tomato Blood ketchup, recruiting TikTok personality E.J. Marcus to play the role of a vegetarian vampire. In August, the company launched “Mayo Rituals,” a campaign that celebrates consumers who use mayonnaise in less-than-conventional ways.