Dive Brief:

• Heinz has teamed with award-winning producer Mustard for a new campaign, per details shared with Marketing Dive. 
• The effort debuted during the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2 with a 30-second ad that plays off a 2018 Heinz Ketchup ad and promotes a new limited-edition flavor, the brand’s first co-created product in the U.S.
• The campaign also includes social media and targeted out-of-home placements. It was created in partnership with Cashmere with content and social by The Kitchen, paid media by Carat and PR by Zeno.

Dive Insight:

Heinz is tapping into music culture and social media memes with a (perhaps long overdue) collaboration with Mustard, a hitmaking producer born Dijon McFarlane who is formerly known as DJ Mustard. Mustard broke through in 2011 and has scored hits with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Tinashe, 2 Chainz and others.

“He has been a fan of the brand for years, so it was only a matter of time before Mustard met his perfect match with Heinz. It's been great to collaborate with him on so many levels, as this partnership will manifest in an amazing new sauce remix that we know our collective fans will love,” said Todd Kaplan, North American CMO for Kraft Heinz, in a statement.

The campaign supports the first national Heinz Mustard innovation in nearly a decade: a limited-edition flavor that the musician helped mix himself that will be available on a microsite. To mark the occasion, the musician has taken on the fictional role of Chief Mustard Officer for the brand.

The effort’s launch was timed to the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, where Mustard was nominated for both Producer of the Year and Record of the Year with Lamar. Along with producing Lamar’s 2024 No. 1 hit “Not Like Us,” Mustard’s name has become a viral meme for the way Lamar screams it on “TV Off,” giving the campaign the imprimatur of culture sought after by marketers. Lamar will headline the Super Bowl halftime show, potentially giving Mustard another high-profile moment.

The 30-second spot nods to a 2018 ad featuring a version of Etta James’ “At Last” that draws out “last” to demonstrate the viscosity of Heinz Ketchup. The new ad glitches out before dropping Mustard’s “Mustard on the beat” DJ tag and letting out Lamar’s “Mustard!” yell. 

“This is a Collaboration for The Culture. It just makes sense,” said Ifetayo Jabari-Kitwala, senior strategist at Cashmere, in a statement. “Mustard and Heinz are the perfect harmony of culture, creativity, and strategy — coming together to create something undeniably unmatched.”

The campaign also includes out-of-home placements in Mustard’s hometown of Los Angeles, both in downtown and Inglewood, that highlight the partnership and his recent success. Mustard is described in press materials as a lifelong fan of the brand and is known for a having a jewel-encrusted Heinz bottle chain.

Parent company Kraft Heinz saw net sales decrease 2.8% in Q3 2024 but continues to make investments in marketing, R&D and technology. The company is expected to announce fourth quarter and full year 2024 results on Feb. 12.