Heinz’s new ketchup label is a tattoo stencil for diehard fans

Fans of Heinz have been known to get its iconic ketchup logo and bottle tattooed on their bodies over the years. But now the company is getting in on the niche trend by creating the first official Heinz tattoo stencil. And customers yearning for some branded ink can find it right on the product’s label. In a new stunt, Heinz created the “Tattoo Bottle,” in which the traditional label on its glass ketchup bottles is replaced by a mirrored black-and-white image that doubles as a peelable tattoo-ready stencil. “For decades we’ve seen fans go to extremes to celebrate our beloved brand,” said Jacqueline Chao, senior brand manager at Heinz, calling the new bottle the “ultimate way fans can celebrate [their] irrational love” of the product. The idea was created by Rethink in partnership with Publicis 57, a custom team dedicated to servicing the U.S. Kraft-Heinz account, which Publicis Groupe won after a global media review in 2020. (The “57” is a nod to the number of original H.J. Heinz Company products.) An accompanying marketing push will mainly be targeted toward a younger demographic and include a social campaign on Instagram and YouTube and out-of-home ads in New York and Chicago. “Tattoo Bottle” is an extension of the brand’s ongoing “It Has to Be Heinz” campaign. “When we found out that there were people all over the world with Heinz tattoos, we couldn’t ignore their commitment,” said Xavier Blais, executive creative director at Rethink, which was named Creative Agency of the Year on Ad Age’s 2023 A-List. “Getting this stencil into the world was a true team effort involving tattoo artists, parlors and tattooed fans from around the globe,” Blais said. Limited-edition ketchup bottles featuring the tattoo label were first made available on Nov. 28 on Heinz’s website. Whether anyone has (or will) peel the label off a unique “Tattoo Bottle” and use it for their next tattoo remains to be seen.

Heinz’s new ketchup label is a tattoo stencil for diehard fans

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