Heinz appeals to ketchup lovers everywhere, but did it need to?

What could improve on the ketchup of choice? A new lid, apparently.

Some products are simple on the surface, but deceptively complex. Heinz Ketchup is among them, as I once learnt in Malcolm Gladwell's essay, ‘The Ketchup Conundrum’. It turns out that while many companies historically have searched for a single "perfect" product that would appeal to everyone, Heinz Ketchup might’ve actually nailed it.

Among the brand’s secrets are that it’s one of the few products to include all the taste sensations: salty, sweet, umami, sour, etc. How it achieves this, however, is the result of a complex, highly specialised growing process that very few companies would dare take on.

Heinz’s premier product may be the best-selling ketchup by a long vine, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to having to switch things up for attention every now and then.

Whether it's people drawing Heinz bottles from memory, tattooing the logo on their skin, or refusing to substitute another brand, Heinz has consistently found ways to celebrate the affection consumers have for its ketchup.

And so we come to 'The Love Lid', created by Wieden+Kennedy London for Kraft Heinz.

At first glance, the idea is simple. 

Heinz has redesigned the humble ketchup cap, transforming it into a heart-shaped symbol for its most passionate fans. It is a tiny piece of design, but one backed up by some serious organic appreciation, which, as the Gladwell essay proves, is hard to pull off.

Rather than changing the product itself, Heinz focuses on the ritual surrounding it. It’s a nice way to connect to its genuinely effusive community, yet somehow I don’t feel it really adds much. I will continue to buy it regardless though, frankly.

Credits

Campaign: 'The Love Lid'
Client: Kraft Heinz
Creative agency: Wieden+Kennedy London
Design partner: Beta Design Office
Film and promotional support: The Kitchen