GRUIDEL

1870 - 1880: eARLY Bottles

The earliest Heinz advertisement
can be traced back to the packaging
of the product itself - the bottles.
Henry J.Heinz insisted on using clear
glass bottles for packaging. By
allowing the customer to see the
product, Heinz hoped to promote
feelings of purity and cleanliness.
Heinz began selling ketchup during
the Packaging Revolution, a period
when manufacturers started
promoting their brand names to
customers through the effective
medium that is the packaging of
the product itself. While this may
seem like an insignificant
marketing tactic, it was an effort
that proved to be fruitful, as most
bottled preservatives were in green
or brown glass due to the cheaper
costs.
1880 - 1890: Trading Cards
The High Victorian period or
“Gilded Age” was a time when
extravagant designs were
commonly used in advertising,
to create a sense of nobility.
Collective advertising was
popular during this period in
time, as seen with these
Victorian trade cards. The color
lithography printing method
was widely used in this period,
allowing for these types of
gaudy, eclectic trading cards to
be mass produced. The target
audience for these collector’s
items were women, particularly
those that wished to be part of
the Victorian upper class.
1893: wORLD fAIR 

A pivotal moment in Heinz’s
advertising took place at the 1893
World’s Columbian Exposition in
Chicago. The company had the largest
commercial food exhibit, but the
location was inconvenient for the
visitors. Desperate to gain traction,
Henry Heinz went to the nearest print
shop, printed small white cards
that looked like baggage checks, and
distributed them among the
crowd.The cards acted as mini
flyers, promoting a free souvenir to
anyone that came to the Heinz
exhibit. The souvenir was a small
pickle charm, that could be worn as
a brooch by the ladies or as a charm
on a watch chain by the men. By the
end of the fair, roughly 1 million
pickle charms were given away;
making the promotion a
monumental success.
1890 - 1900: Transit Advertising
During the Industrial Era, Henry Heinz decided
to promote his products using transit advertising,
in the company’s home-city of Pittsburgh. Before
selling ketchup, the company sold pickles; the
product that is being advertised on the sides of
these horse-drawn buggies.

Never missing an opportunity for

consumer awareness, Heinz would
often use flamboyant techniques to
grab customer attention. These
brightly painted horse-drawn
buggies were used for both
commercial purposes (moving the
products) and advertising purposes.
1900: Electric Billboard
Entering the Progressive Era
cities began transforming;
their population rates were
growing, literacy rates were
increasing, and electricity was
beginning to be widely-
utilized. New York City had
grown to be a major city in
America, and Heinz decided
to promote his pickles to its
inhabitants. With his
revolutionary billboard, Heinz
created a new record for the
largest electric sign that New
York had ever seen. Located
on Broadway, the billboard was
adorned with flashing lights
and a giant 50 foot pickle that
lit up.
1900 - 1910: Health Consciousness
1900 - 1910: Health Consciousness

It was during the Progressive Era that food manufacturers were being exposed by major
newspapers and magazines for negligent practices. A few offenses being chemical use, poor
ingredients, and unsatisfactory factory conditions. As a result, governments began regulating
through federal laws and industries took steps towards self regulation. Heinz was a pioneer
in terms of sanitary food manufacturing, being the only food manufacturer that supported
the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act by lobbying for President Roosevelt. The Heinz
advertisements of this era reflect their passion for safe, clean produce, promoting
transparency by listing ingredients, and emphasizing the purity and cleanliness of their
products. The targeted audience for this campaign consisted of mothers, who were
concerned about the quality of groceries they were bringing home to their families.
1920: Art Deco Print Ads
1920: Art Deco Print Ads
Entering the New Era or the Machine Age, a new
artistic style was beginning to take-off in the
design world: Art Deco. Art Deco illustrations
were the antithesis of the gaudy, eclectic designs
seen in the Victorian Era; instead opting for
simplified and streamlined geometric shapes.
Mainstream fashion periodicals like Vogue,
Harpers’ Bazaar, and Vanity Fair were utilizing Art
Deco illustrations in their spreads; a trend that
would eventually seep into branded
advertisements. By 1920 the Heinz company was
50 years old, so the established brand had the
artistic freedom to experiment with the latest
trends, as seen with their Art Deco
advertisements. The simple shapes and color
palettes of these Heinz ads captured the essence
of Art Deco. These advertisements sought to
make the product of Ketchup stylish, and
targeted women, who would find the
advertisement aesthetically pleasing.
1930: THE Good Housewife
1930: THE Good Housewife
The 1930s were heavily influenced by the Great Depression,
however it’s important to note that these advertisements don’t
reflect the hardships of the Depression. However, they do
capture what was expected of women in 1930s America.
As mentioned previously, women were considered the ideal
consumer by the marketers throughout history. The mass media
played a monumental role in defining and shaping the women’s
market, through character portrayals and stereotypes. Women
were expected to spend the wages their husband made on
household items, clothing, and other “necessities.”
Advertiser’s shaped not only the role of women in their
households, but also the way that women should perceive
themselves, associating a woman’s self-worth to her husband.
These themes were prevalent in Heinz advertisements
throughout the 1930s. These advertisements made Heinz
ketchup a tool that could please a husband, make a wife be
“angelic,” and be “Every Woman’s Magic Wand.” Evidently, these
advertisements were targeted towards women.
1936 1938: Heinz magazine of the Air
The invention of the radio played a monumental
role in American entertainment, especially after
the Great Depression, when the motion picture
business was struggling to rebound. The radio
transcended class-lines, becoming a medium that
could be enjoyed by all Americans. The Golden
Era of radio was between 1930 and 1940, a period
where advertising agencies would create
“company sponsored programs,” to promote their
brands. By 1937, three-fourths of all US
households had radios, creating an opportunity
that many brands refused to miss out on. Heinz
joined the radio advertising trend, creating a
program called “Heinz Magazine of the Air.” It
was a show that aired three times a week, and
promoted itself as being “For Ladies Only,”
broadcasting 30 minutes of “sparkling music,
famous guest stars, romance, drama,
homemaking, and child problems.” This
technique allowed for the brand to reach their
ideal female consumers in a subtle, entertaining
manner.
1940: World WAR aDVERTS
1940: World WAR aDVERTS
In 1941 the United States entered World War II,
sparking a period in American history that brought
profound changes to American lifestyles and culture.
During this period, the federal government urged its
citizens to be fruitful in the wartime efforts. Americans
were purchasing war bonds instead of consumer goods,
growing their own victory gardens, and rationing
materials to help the men overseas. In 1942 the War
Advertising Council was formed, producing the largest
advertising campaign in history; “promoting war bond
sales, internal security, rationing, and housing solutions.”
The campaign also targeted women, encouraging them
to enter the labor force. The Heinz campaigns being
published during this period reflect these wartime
themes, as seen with print advertisement titled “Time…
must be rationed by America’s double-duty women.”
The advertisement promotes Heinz as a time-saving
ingredient, granting the woman more time for what’s
important. The other advertisement has nothing to do
with Heinz products at all, focusing solely on the 7th
War Loan. Heinz did publish their own Wartime
Cookbook, which listed rationed recipes for women to
make using Heinz products.
1950: the trADITIONAL fAMILY
1950: the trADITIONAL fAMILY
The “American Dream” was at the forefront of many
advertising campaigns during the Atomic Age. Due to
the expanding economy and job market, suburban life
was a feasible goal shared by many white Americans
during the 1950s. The entire world experienced a “Baby
Boom” following World War II, but the United States
had a substantial one. This shift in American culture led
to a resurgence for “traditional family life,” in
advertising. A popular sentiment in advertising during
this era promoted traditional American life, consisting of
a mother, father, and their children. These Heinz
advertisements portrayed the “idealistic” American
family. In the first advertisement, Heinz products are
shown to keep family-life fun and exciting. Whereas in
the second advertisement, Heinz products act as a
defining factor for a husband and wife that are trying to
decide where they should go for date-night. The last
advertisement promotes Heinz baby food, showing a
nurturing mother cuddling her baby, while also
employing a hard-sell by listing the health benefits of
Heinz pre-cooked cereals. These advertisements were
once again targeted towards women.
1960: Appealing to the Youth

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_i3AlMCEjw
1960: Appealing to the Youth
The 1960s and 1970s bring us into the Creative
Revolution, a period where politics, culture and
technology played major roles in advertising. When
the postwar baby boom generation became teenagers
and young adults, advertisers shifted their ideal
consumer from middle-aged adults, to the youth.
One of the most iconic Heinz ad campaigns reflected
this new consumer target, titled “Beanz Meanz
Heinz.” The advertisement aired in Britain, where
the most Heinz Baked Beans are consumed. The
commercial shows a young boy getting ready to
embark on a journey around the world, only to delay
the trip after his sister and mother imply that they
are going to eat his Heinz beans. The ad plays a fun,
catchy jingle that chants, “Beanz Meanz Heinz.” The
commercial was targeted towards “housewives” that
shop for their families. The other Heinz campaign
was geared towards teenagers, utilizing the British
Invasion as a way to get the youth to purchase Heinz
products. A “Beatles Poster” giveaway encouraged
kids to buy Heinz products, for a chance to win an
exclusive poster of the heartthrob band.
 1970: Anticipation
Heinz’s “Anticipation” was another
widely successful ad campaign. The
commercials aired in the 1970s, using
Carly Simon’s song, “Anticipation,” as
the jingle, and young Corey Feldman
as the lead actor. The advertisement
was 30 seconds long, a length that
became the new-standard of TV
commercials during the 1970s. When
looking at the actors and actresses
that star in the video, the time period
of the ad becomes increasingly
obvious. The hairstyles and clothing
are unisex, and there are several
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IobpIKshr8 seventies staples - the feathered hair,
the blue jeans, and the child’s bowl
cut.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the advertisement is how the product’s flaw is being used for
marketing purposes. The glass Heinz bottles made pouring ketchup a slow process, but the company
uses that defect to its advantage, encouraging the consumer that “The Taste is Worth the Wait.”
1980: The Best Things Come…
In the 1980s, America’s youth was
revolutionized by MTV, and
advertisers began utilizing sex and
music to sell to these teens. This
advertising tactic can be seen in
the following iconic ad campaign
by Heinz. The commercial
employs a simple positioning
concept, with a selling message
that’s easy to remember - “The
best things come to those who
wait.” Similar to the anticipation
advertisements, this campaign is
marketing the flaw of the Heinz
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch? glass bottle. The video screams
v=N_vssdys8lk 80s, with a synth beat playing in
the background and a young Matt
LeBlanc dressed in Levis, white
The advertisement appears to be targeted
sneakers, and a jean jacket playing
towards teenage girls, or any individual 

the lead.
that finds young LeBlanc attractive.
 1990: The Pick Up Artist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzw35csn8R0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pJ0h9FbDnU

The 90s were the beginning of “Information Overload,” the infamous obstacle that advertisers face
when it comes to making ads that stand out in a sea of other ad campaigns and information. As a
result, fast-paced “MTV-Style commercials” grew in popularity. Heinz employed these fast paced
storytelling tactics in the 90s, as seen with the two advertisements above. The company no longer
focused on their glass bottle’s slow pour, instead making Heinz a product that women sought after. 

The videos tell short stories about men’s failed attempts at picking up women in a humorous way,
using Heinz as their wingman.
2000 - 2006: EZ Squirt
By the 2000s, the American youth - Millennials
and Generation Z, were the ideal target
audience. Food and beverage companies began
reforming products to make them more
appealing to kids, employing bright colors, fun
characters, and flamboyant packaging. Heinz
took part in this marketing tactic, creating a
line of brightly colored ketchups for kids in
2000. The initial product was part of the Shrek
movie release, a neon green ketchup titled,
“Blastin’ Green.” Initially, the product was a
complete hit and the company’s market share
grew substantially. Various other colors were
released, including “Funky Purple,” and
“Mysterious Color.” However, after roughly a
year, the abnormally colored ketchup lost its
luster, with parents and children growing
disgusted at the product.
2001: Heinz Field
Corporate sponsorships have become widely
accepted by sports fans, as they are financially
beneficial to the local communities and for the
most part keep ticket prices low. In 2001 the
Pittsburgh Steelers chose Heinz as their
corporate partner when building their new
stadium, which would eventually be named
“Heinz Field.” Pittsburgh based agency, Brand
Drives Everything helped build Heinz Field’s
identity, meshing the Heinz ketchup brand
with the Pittsburgh Steelers brand. The
partnership between the two has shown to be
beneficial for Heinz in terms of advertising,
with the promotion “extending into multiple
NFL markets and their grocery store
distributers of Heinz products.” This brand
partnership allows for Heinz to reach a specific
niche of football fans.
2010: New Packaging
In 2010, the Heinz company decided
to partake in green advertising. Green
advertising has been defined as, “a
type of advertising that is centered
around the promotion of factors
having to do with the environment.”
Heinz’s green advertising campaign
revolved around their new recyclable
bottle, which is composed of a
material called sugarcane ethanol. The
product ads utilized green imagery
and the recycling logo.
However, the company contradicted
themselves by releasing their new ketchup
packet design that same year, the “Dip &
Squeeze packet,” which is unfortunately
not recyclable. Nevertheless, in 2018 the
company did pledge to make all of its
packaging recyclable by 2025. The new
bottle is marketed to environmentally
conscious individuals, whereas the new
packet is marketed to individuals seeking
convenience.
2010 - 2020: minimalism
2010 - 2020: minimalism
2010 - 2020: minimalism
While the minimalist advertising trend has remained
prevalent in the marketing world for the past decade,
certain market researchers consider its prime to be
from 2014 to present day, 2020. According to author,
Eric Dontigney, Minimalist advertising seeks to, “to
strip out virtually all the visual noise that appears in
many ads and focus on a lone visual message.” Heinz
has utilized minimalism in their print and digital
advertisements over the past five years. This can be
seen with their “No One Grows Ketchup Like Heinz,”
campaign. The ads are sleek with limited colors,
keeping the focus of the consumer centered on one
aspect - the bottle. They are simple yet aesthetically
pleasing, emitting a crisp, airy feel. The ads are
implying that Heinz products are fresh, encouraging
the consumer to buy their ketchup over the
competitors. There is no explicit target audience for
this advertisement campaign, but it has been shown
that millennials love minimalism.
FIN.