Heinz is the gold standard in ketchup. But in restaurants across the world, some owners were refilling Heinz bottles with cheaper ketchup—tricking customers into trusting the label while serving something else. Heinz responded with “Ketchup Fraud,” a campaign that exposed the deception and introduced a clever solution: a label that proves what’s inside is the real deal.
Campaign Overview
Developed by Wunderman Thompson Turkey, “Ketchup Fraud” launched in 2024 with a redesigned Heinz label called the “Label of Truth.” It featured a Pantone-matched border that perfectly aligned with the color of real Heinz ketchup. If the ketchup inside didn’t match the label, it wasn’t Heinz.
The campaign was supported by a hero film, influencer content, and a call-to-action for restaurants to pledge authenticity. Heinz also invited consumers to report suspicious ketchup sightings and offered verified supply to restaurants.
Campaign Objective
Heinz aimed to:
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Protect brand integrity and consumer trust
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Raise awareness about deceptive restaurant practices
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Reinforce its identity as the gold standard in ketchup
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Drive conversation through design-led innovation
The goal was to turn packaging into proof—and make authenticity visible.
Execution
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Pantone-Matched Label: Heinz identified the exact color code of its ketchup and built a label border to match it.
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Visual Verification: If the ketchup inside didn’t match the label’s border, it was likely a fake.
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Hero Film: A cheeky video showed diners reacting to ketchup fraud and learning how to spot the real thing.
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Restaurant Outreach: Heinz offered verified supply and promotional support to restaurants that pledged authenticity.
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Social Media Activation: Fans shared their “fraud sightings” and helped spread awareness.
Brand Impact
“Ketchup Fraud” positioned Heinz as a bold, consumer-first brand that protects its reputation with creativity. It resonated with diners, restaurant owners, and design lovers alike. The campaign also elevated Heinz from condiment to icon—one that stands for trust, taste, and transparency.
Results
Ketchup Fraud by Heinz exposed a flavorful truth — that not every restaurant serving “ketchup” was actually serving Heinz. The campaign cleverly revealed this insight through design and storytelling, sparking a wave of authenticity checks across restaurants.
It generated over 1.2 million social interactions across Europe and the Middle East, driving strong engagement and conversation around brand trust. The campaign was featured in AdAge, Ads of the World, and Packaging of the World, and went on to win a Cannes Lions Bronze in Design and a Clio Award for Packaging Innovation.
Lessons Learned
“Ketchup Fraud” teaches us that trust is visual. The campaign also shows the power of design as a defense mechanism—when your label becomes a truth-teller, your brand becomes bulletproof. And finally, it proves that even fraud can be flipped into a brand moment.
