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Ekaterina Cunningham

Professor Massie

English 1301, FAM 3

31 December 2019

Introducing the Family

In 2016, Heinz, the company famous for making ketchup released a Super Bowl

commercial to launch new campaign, “Meet the Ketchups" (“Kraft-Heinz”). The campaign's

purpose was to introduce Heinz's entire family of condiments like ketchup, mustard, sriracha

ketchup, BBQ sauce along with organic and no artificial flavor ketchup to consumers across the

country. The commercial shows a stampede of wiener dogs dressed as hotdogs running through

the field of green grass in a slow motion towards the family dressed as variety of Heinz

condiments. While dogs running, the song “Without You” by Harry Nilsson is playing in a

background through the entire commercial. In the end the dogs reach their destination after long

travel and end up in the arms of a big happy family of condiments. In the Heinz “Meet the

Ketchups” commercial, the sound, the angle of the camera, and the text creates an illusion of

belonging together and helps to deliver clear message to consumer about the variety of a

products available for next purchase.

The Heinz’s commercial “Meet the Ketchups” is accompanied by a well-known song

that, along with the sound, carries the important message for the consumer. The song starts out

with slow melancholic piano solo followed by sentimental lyrics that translates into sadness. As

commercial progresses, music becomes more upbeat with a hopeful flare to it. In the end, solo

piano joined by the orchestra of instruments to create powerful, loud, and optimistic sound. The

transformation from solo to an orchestra mimics the idea of getting away from loneliness to
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being part of a bigger community. Also, changes from slow to more upbeat sound signals a

positive change and happy outcome. In addition, lyrics of the song suggest that consumers

cannot live without a partner, a pet dog or in this instance cannot live without a condiment. The

music and lyrics combined imply that consumer cannot live without the Heinz products and

bring the emphasis to the message of the commercial.

In addition to the song choice, the use of lighting and angle helps to catch the attention of

the audience and pulls them in to Heinz family. First, the commercial start out with a long shot of

a single dog running through the field in the distance towards the camera. The lens is out of

focus creating the illusion of haze and confusion. Then camera shows a wide aerial shot of a

stampede of dogs in a hotdog costumes all running in the same direction towards the family

dressed as different condiments. It instantly makes the viewer want to join the movement and be

a part of stampede. Hundreds of dogs shown represent the quantity of customers that Heinz is

serving. As commercial progresses, picture becomes brighter, clearer and shots come in closer

and closer zooming in on the costumes of the family. This technique is used to intensify the

experience and provoke fillings. To appeal to the emotions the camera zooms in on a puppy in a

slow motion to show adorable details like floppy ears, wiggling tails, and soft paws. Then, the

camera switches back and forth between the close ups of the happy smiling faces of the family

and the dogs capturing happy, joyful moment of joining in union. Last scene of the commercial

is a wade angle of a clear, bright-filtered image that captures each family member/ condiment

pared up with the dog/ hotdog. The wide-angle shot of whole family conveys inclusiveness and

supports the Heinz’s message that there is a condiment for every hotdog, moreover there is a

condiment for every family member.

To add to variety of angles and lighting, the text is strategically placed to express the

clear and detailed message that helps the audience to navigate the product line. The Heinz brand

logo as well as names of all different condiments are displayed on each costume in bold, black,

all capital letters to avoid confusion. First, the mom and dad are wearing Heinz ketchup and

mustard costume while holding hands. The bold text reinforces the visual signals that they go

together very well. Next, a yang boy is shown wearing costume of mini ketchup packet,

surrounded by his parents that symbolizes the unit of the family. To conclude the message, the

wide shot shows a total of seven varieties of condiments all clearly named across the costumes

reminding the consumers about the available choices and implying that they all go together and

part of the same Heinz family. In the end, # MeetTheKetchups appears at the bottom of the

screen. The hash tag is calling for an interaction with the audience and feedback from the

consumer. Strategically placed clear text on each costume of the family member and the screen

achieves the purpose of sending the message to the audience about choices available for

purchase, and that they are meant to be bought together.

Overall, the Heinz condiment commercial’s clever choice of the song, the use of close-

ups, long shots, and bold text all throughout the commercial caught the attention of the audience

and presented clear and simple message advertising the variety of the condiments available for

purchase, and that consumer cannot live without them. First the music along with lyrics delivered

message that consumers simply cannot live without Heinz condiments like hotdogs cannot exist

without ketchup and mustard. Second, the combination of camera angles, closeups of dogs, and

happy faces makes the experience more personal and builds closer connection with the brand.

Third, bold text displayed all throughout the commercial delivers direct message without any

confusion. When strategies are used together, advertisement creates an illusion of perusing
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happiness. Heinz “Meet the Ketchups” commercial signals to the audience to become a part of

the “stampede” movement towards the lineup of Heinz's products. The concept behind Heinz’s

advertising is that condiments are past from Ketchups family to consumers table and consuming

the Heinz line of products will make everyone a part of the bigger happier family. In the end the

message conveys that Ketchups family is a perfect match for all hotdogs, just like Heinz’s line of

condiments is a perfect match for any family. The use of strategies mentioned above, the ability

to provoke logical thinking, and encourage the actions makes this advertisement memorable and

effective.

Works Cited

“For Immediate Release.” Heinz Invites America to "Meet the Ketchups" During the Big Game

on Sunday, February 7 | The Kraft Heinz Company Press Room,

https://news.kraftheinzcompany.com/press-release/brand/heinz-invites-america-meet-

ketchups-during-big-game-sunday-february-7.

“HEINZ Ketchup Game Day 2016 Hot Dog Commercial: Wiener Stampede”Extended

Cut.”YouTube, PumpingItUp1, 18 Feb 2016

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkVw3fNNpgM. Kraft-Heinz.