Barbie was the highest-grossing film of 2023, almost immediately becoming a pop culture classic. Taking advantage of the success of the feature film, the Mattel partnered with Kraft Heinz Co. to create ‘Barbiecue’ sauce, a reference to the classic barbecue.
The sauce, pink thanks to the addition of beetroot extract, is being offered in the UK in a limited quantity of 5,000 units. The product is expected to also be available in Spain from the 25th.
The company said it will increase production up to 105,000 tubes for the United Kingdom and 12,000 for Spain. The brand still intends to take distribution to other markets. Heinz published a post in August last year with an image of the ‘Barbiecue’, asking his followers whether he should make this dream a reality. At the time, there was also an image of a supposed ‘Kenchup’, a pink version of ketchup.
*Heinz just entered the chat* Should we make this dream team a reality? ?? @barbie #barbie pic.twitter.com/ptv7YuE6k9
— Heinz (@HeinzUK) August 1, 2023
On the back of the ‘Barbiecue’ tube, it states that the sauce is a vegan mayonnaise with barbecue sauce. The profile of the doll’s face is also on the product label. Retail price is £3.39 for a 415ml bottle.
In the third quarter of 2023, after the film’s release, Mattel’s sales grew by about 9.3%. Products linked to Barbie were launched all over the world, ranging from clothing items to footwear. According to Andre Fernandes, Vice President of Growth at Kraft Heinz for Europe and Pacific Developed Markets, the future production of a ‘Kenchup’ cannot be ruled out. ‘.
Heinz reinforces request for ketchup emoji with mini OOH in the US
In addition to Barbiecue, Heinz, the world’s number one ketchup brand, is making a bold move to get the attention of Unicode, the organization responsible for creating emojis. In an attempt to pressure the company to include the long-awaited ketchup emoji in its upcoming launches, Heinz deployed mini billboards near the headquarters of the company responsible for creating the emojis in Los Angeles, United States. The action was created and produced by LePub Brasil, a partner of The Kitchen, the brand’s in-house.
Despite the continued efforts of ketchup fans around the world, the beloved product’s emoji has not yet been included by the company responsible for developing emojis for iOS and Android. Known for its dedication to solving consumer desires, Heinz is acting in response to years of outcry from ketchup lovers.
The mini billboards display the iconic Heinz ketchup bottle, accompanied by persuasive messages, with the aim of capturing Unicode’s attention and highlighting the importance of including this symbol loved by fans of the condiment. English phrases like ‘Unicode, if you didn’t do it, I did it!’ and ‘See? It has to be Heinz’ with the hashtag ‘Where’sMyKetchupEmoji’ are part of the action to attract the organization’s attention.
Heinz mini billboard (Photo: Disclosure/Heinz)
The initiative is part of the brand’s strategy to reinforce that, if it’s ketchup, it has to be Heinz, even if it’s a ketchup emoji. For the advertising agency responsible for the project, it is where brands find culture, identifying consumer behaviors and transforming them into creative ideas.
To ease the annual frustration, Heinz last week released the first real-life ketchup emoji: a limited-edition, collectible miniature of the iconic Heinz bottle with ketchup inside, although it’s not intended for consumption. The campaign’s total engagement rate was 5.50%.
Seeking to amplify this message and mobilize fans, Heinz joined forces with trap singer Luccas Carlos as well as a select group of influencers on social media. These strategic partners are engaging their audiences by branding Unicode and expressing the collective desire for a ketchup emoji, reinforcing the appeal.
*Cover photo: Disclosure/Heinz
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