Heinz was not just a genius when it came to building a brand. He also knew how to get that brand out there. After all, what good was a brilliant slogan if nobody was ever going to find out about it? That is where Heinz came in and added a little razzle dazzle to his promotions.
There was never an opportunity where Heinz did not look for a way to spread the word about his product. Ever the promoter, Heinz was constantly seeking out new ways to introduce his products to an even wider public. One such example is at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Because he was increasingly becoming known as the Pickle King, Heinz thought it would be fitting to introduce a “pickle pin” at the Fair. Now famous, this pickle pin became one of the most popular promotional pieces in the history of corporate America. The cost of the pins hardly made a dent in Heinz’s budget, while the rewards of the free advertising were enormous. Today, those pickle pins serve as valuable collectors’ items.
No tactic was too flashy or gaudy for Heinz. He wanted his products to stand out and shine – literally. In 1900, Heinz decided to erect the first ever electric sign in New York City, on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street in Manhattan. Standing six stories tall, the sign was a large electric-lit pickle that bore the Heinz name and its “57 Varieties” slogan. In the display room below the sign, Heinz’s employees could be seen busy packing miniature pickles into bottles. The sign took 1,200 light bulbs to build and cost the company some $90 each and every night, but for Heinz, it was all worth it. For years, this electric pickle impressed shoppers along the famous New York strip and served as invaluable advertising.
With the success of his giant pickle sign, Heinz moved onto the hillsides of California. Using concrete, Heinz emblazoned his new slogan along the major railroad routes throughout the state, and lit them up with powerful floodlights, making them visible to all the rail passengers. After noticing one of Heinz’s creations, one rail passenger asked the rail worker what it signified. “I don’t know, Ma’am,” he replied. “But I think they are numbering the hills along this road.” At the very least, Heinz’s tactics had gotten people talking. It would not be long before they knew what the 57 in fact represented.
Heinz was a master promoter, and was even responsible for pioneering one of the major trends in the industry. Obsessed with quality, freshness, and cleanliness, Heinz invented the concept of the “factory tour.” Anyone who was interested in seeing how Heinz produced and packaged his products was now allowed to witness the process first-hand. He was confident in his operations and believed opening it up to the public would help build confidence and trust in his company. The move sparked an outburst of positive publicity, not to mention a wave of copycats.
Lesson #2: Add a Little Spice to Your PR
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