Fifty years ago, in the fictional world of Mad Men, Don Draper pitched a daring ad campaign to Heinz execs, for the brand’s ketchup, that proposed not showing the product at all. Instead, the ads would show close-ups of foods that go great with ketchup—french fries, a cheeseburger, a slice of steak—but without any ketchup in sight. Don’s proposed tagline: “Pass the Heinz.”
But now, in 2017, the time for “Pass the Heinz” has come.
Heinz just greenlit the ads—and will run them almost exactly as Draper intended, beginning today, in print and out-of-home executions in New York City.
Heinz tells AdFreak that each one will get its own billboard in NYC. All three ads will also run in the New York Post, and the fries execution will run in Variety too. The ads will get support across Heinz’s social media channels as well.