Heinz Mustard X Mustard

Background: While Heinz Ketchup is a cultural and household staple, Heinz Mustard had never enjoyed the same affinity. We needed to change that. The perfect opportunity emerged during 2024’s biggest cultural moment: Drake vs. Kendrick. When Kendrick’s viral “Mustaaaard” call-out suddenly turned Mustard (producer Dijon McFarlane) into a household name, we saw an opening. A decades-long lover of Heinz, Mustard was the perfect partner to make Heinz Mustard a brand people actually wanted to talk about. Creative Idea: Mustard X Mustard: Two Mustard legends, together at last. With the whole world suddenly shouting “mustaaaaard,” we seized the moment, transforming that viral rap lyric into a full-blown cultural takeover—partnering with Mustard himself for an unexpected collaboration designed to set the internet on fire. Leveraging a seamless mix of digital, social, experiential, and PR-driven activations to make Heinz Mustard inescapable, instead of simply reacting, we engineered a connected brand experience across multiple platforms, ensuring Heinz Mustard wasn’t just seen—it was embedded in the biggest cultural conversations of the year. Insights & Strategy: Younger audiences expect brands to feel native to the culture they engage with—not force themselves into the conversation. To achieve that, we built an ecosystem of connected brand touchpoints that allowed Heinz Mustard to integrate into music, entertainment, digital culture, and real-world experiences. Our strategy centered on: - High-impact cultural moments → Owning The Grammys and The Super Bowl - Digital-first engagement → Designing social, earned, and paid media activations that maximized second-screen behavior and fueled ongoing conversations. - Experiential extensions → Using DOOH, influencer engagement, and interactive content drops to extend Heinz Mustard beyond the screen and into real life. By connecting these channels, we ensured Heinz Mustard wasn’t just part of a moment—it became a force in pop culture. Execution: We ensured Heinz Mustard was everywhere—integrating digital, social, PR, and real-world activations into one seamless cultural takeover. The Grammys – TV, Social, and Earned Media Convergence - We hijacked the next commercial break after Mustard’s big win, airing a spot that started as a Heinz Ketchup ad before morphing into a Mustard takeover. - This moment bridged TV, digital, and social media, sparking real-time conversation across platforms. Super Bowl Week – DOOH, PR, and Digital Engagement - We named Mustard our Chief Mustard Officer (CMO), turning a PR stunt into a sustained, multi-channel story. - DOOH placements in Mustard’s hometown of Inglewood gave the campaign a real-world extension, amplifying awareness beyond digital spaces. - Exclusive content drops on social kept audiences engaged across platforms. Super Bowl Sunday – A Social and Digital Takeover - Instead of running a Super Bowl ad, we sponsored 57 Mustard-related hashtags, turning organic social conversations into our own media platform. - Real-time content activations ensured Heinz Mustard dominated second-screen behavior. Saturday Night Live – From Campaign to Cultural Phenomenon - Heinz Mustard’s presence in pop culture became so undeniable that it was spoofed on SNL 50—a moment money couldn’t buy. - This further extended the campaign’s cultural relevance, proving that the integration of media channels had created a brand moment with real staying power. By seamlessly integrating paid, owned, earned, and experiential media, we created one of the most talked-about campaigns of the year. Results: By executing a fully integrated strategy, Heinz Mustard didn’t just ride a viral moment—it built an entire cultural movement. By the Numbers: - 1.1 Billion Earned Media Impressions (KPI: 200-300MM; +267% above goal) - 324 Earned Media Placements (KPI: 25-50; +548% above goal) - 99% Positive/Neutral Sentiment (KPI: 95%; +4% above goal) - 75% of coverage included teaser and visual assets - Coverage in 12 agenda-setting publications (AdAge, Adweek, Forbes, USA Today, HYPEBEAST, & more) - 5 top-tier multicultural outlets (Black Enterprise, Blavity, Ebony, The Root, & more) - 4 top-tier music outlets (Billboard, Complex, Boardroom, Vibe) - 232MM Paid Media Impressions - 3 Million Social Engagements - +138% engagement over social benchmark - 10K+ Posts using our sponsored hashtags Notable Wins: - Named one of the best Super Bowl Ads (without airing during the game) - #2 Most Talked About Brand during the Super Bowl (without a TV ad) - Heinz Mustard featured on SNL 50—a first for any Kraft Heinz brand - Three major cultural moments featuring Heinz Mustard (Grammys, Super Bowl, SNL 50)