"Seemingly Ranch" or "Seemingly Impressive" Marketing by Heinz ?
Jul 22, 2024
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Discover How Heinz Used a Viral Taylor Swift Image to Build Buzz and Brand Awareness.
I love Heinz Ketchup and Taylor Swift's music, but I never imagined I'd mention the two in the same sentence. So what's the connection between this unexpected combo?
Taylor Swift is one of the biggest names in music right now, and she’s currently captivating audiences globally with her highly anticipated Eras Tour. During her tour break in September 2023, Taylor attended an NFL game to support the Chiefs. While her presence was notable, it was her choice of dipping sauce for her chicken tenders—tomato sauce and ranch—that really grabbed everyone's attention.
So how did Heinz leverage this opportunity?
When the official Eras tour account posted about Taylor eating chicken with ketchup and seemingly ranch, Twitter exploded. The tweet quickly attracted 35 million views, along with countless likes and retweets.
Heinz was quick to respond on Instagram, humorously insinuating that the ketchup Taylor used had to be Heinz. This clever response allowed them to capitalise on the viral moment and introduce the brand to a whole new audience of Swifties.
So, did this work?
In short, YES. Since Taylor’s appearance with the rumoured sauce on September 24th, Google searches for Heinz skyrocketed during the last week of September. Riding this wave, Heinz launched a limited edition "Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch" flavour in under 24 hours. This move paid off big time, with search queries on Google increasing by an impressive 61%, as shown below.
It's been 10 months since the event, and Heinz continues to reap the benefits. With the Eras tour currently ongoing, Heinz is still capitalising on Free-Earned Social Media. Concert-goers are enthusiastically dressing up as the meme and sharing their experiences on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. This organic endorsement continues to significantly elevate Heinz's brand awareness, introducing a new demographic to the meme and the brands associated with it.
According to studies by Goh, Heng, and Lin, brands can significantly boost their visibility through earned social media (ESM). When content goes viral and gets widely shared on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, it tends to stick in consumers' minds, ultimately raising brand awareness. Although Furgeson suggests that quantifying return on investment (ROI) from virality is challenging, his study also proves that viral content would lead to substantial gains in brand awareness and recognition.
Inspired by Heinz's, other companies such as McDonald's, Lay's, and even the Empire State Building 'swiftly' (pun intended) joined in to respond to the cultural moment.
What can we learn from this?
Heinz capitalised on Taylor Swift's viral moment, driving a 61% increase in Google searches following her indirect sauce recommendations.
The ongoing Eras Tour continues to propel brand visibility through Earned Social Media (ESM), expanding Heinz's reach across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
This highlights the enduring impact of strategic viral campaigns on enhancing brand awareness and engagement. While not every viral attempt guarantees success, a well-timed and carefully crafted campaign, like Heinz's, can ignite lasting buzz across the internet.
Curious about how Heinz hit the high note with Taylor Swift? Follow our blog for more insights on viral campaigns and successful brand strategies. Don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments! Let's keep the conversation going. 🎤💬 #BrandBuzz
Hi Akeel,
What an entertaining yet educational post! You writing style is very easy to read with lots of scattered puns and jokes (this doesn't go unnoticed!). I also appreciate how you break up the text with images, ketchup red headings, and dot points! I also appreciate your Google trends image as this really enforces your argument. Heinz is one of my favourite companies to watch from a marketing angle, as In my opinion, they always have the best campaigns and quick to jump on trends!
I would have loved to learn more about a vitality methodology and how Heinz used it in their campaign.
Thanks so much!
Alix
Hi Akeel, I haven't heard about this one but it certainly hooked me in to read about the connection with Swifty and Heinz ketchup! So random yet such a great marketing opportunity for Heinz and the fact they were quick and witty enough to jump at it which ended up paying off! Even I went off to have a Google to see if I can buy that sauce (unfortunately looked to have only sold in the US and for only a limited time). I do wonder if there's some data out there to compare the difference between those that jump in first (Heinz) compared with those that jump on the hype train later (Arby, Maccas etc).