Heinz is seeking to trigger taste memories with a new visual campaign created by Wieden + Kennedy London.

The ‘Trigger the Taste’ masterbrand campaign celebrates Britain’s favourite food pairings and celebrates the brand’s 150-year legacy.

The creative is based on the simple insight that Heinz is synonymous with great taste.

Rolling out nationwide from today, the high-impact campaign features close-ups of Heinz’s best loved products, including Heinz Mayonnaise, Heinz Baked Beanz and of course, Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

Every image is designed to trigger memories of the taste of Heinz and the feeling of anticipation of specific food moments. For example, when fries call for ketchup or when warm bread meets comforting soup.

In a clever twist on its famous ‘It Has to Be Heinz’ tagline, each mouthwatering creative replaces ‘Heinz’ with the food that completes the pairing – Chips, Toast, Fries, or Bread.

Pre-launch testing revealed that the connection was immediate: over 70% of consumers identified Heinz as the brand behind the campaign, showing that the anticipation Heinz creates is second nature.

Thiago Rapp, Director of Taste Elevation and Masterbrand at Kraft Heinz, UK and Ireland, explained: “At the heart of the campaign, is the idea that certain foods are inextricably linked in our minds – and that Heinz is the perfect partner to bring out the best in them. Like Beanz on toast, or soup with warm buttered bread, it’s the simplicity of ‘Trigger the Taste’ that speaks to the unrivalled taste and quality of Heinz – something we’re leaning into to solidify ourselves as the most irresistible food brand.”

‘Trigger the Taste’ rolls out with a nationwide out of home campaign, featuring high-impact placements in major cities including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Leeds. 

The campaign will also run on delivery trucks, as well as London’s iconic red buses. The campaign will also be launched in major European markets including Spain.

Joe De Souza and Juan Sevilla, Creative Directors, W+K London, explained: "Heinz's iconic taste is at the heart of consumers' irrational love for the brand. And it’s what led us to the campaign idea. You really can’t see ketchup without thinking about fries; or Heinz Beanz without thinking: ‘toast’. We loved the simplicity of this insight, and also the chance to play with the subconscious.”

They continue: “We didn’t need to over explain it - the logo says it all, and you could say the campaign pretty much wrote itself. Ultimately, we love it because it shows that Heinz is all about one thing: great-tasting food. Simple as that."

A campaign which successfully underlines that simplicity is the most under-utilised tool in marketing.