the slowest ketchup in the west ketchup exits the iconic glass bottle at .028 miles per hour. if the ketchup flows any faster than this, the ketchup is rejected for sale.
This bold statement clearly emphasizes one of the most important product benefits of Heinz ketchup: its full, concentrated taste and thickness. In 1964, the Heinz marketing team released one of its most effective commercials, the ‘ketchup race’. It was the brainchild of Charles M. Berger and stressed the slow pouring properties of the product.
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The theme was used in various versions, including the immortal ‘The slowest ketchup in the west’ by Doyle Dane Bernbach. In a saloon full of living ketchup bottles, a ‘bad guy’ ketchup bottle enters and starts challenging the Heinz ketchup bottle. Heinz wins, while the bad bottle runs empty much faster.
Iconic-Heinz Book.indd 49
04-01-2011 23:14:29