What is so different and special about Heinz ketchup? That is the question that Leo Burnett India tried to answer through their new ad campaign for Heinz which comprised three commercials that were launched recently.

For starters (yes, also for the mouth watering starters in your four course meal), there is Heinz' basic proposition of being redder, thicker and tastier than the other ketchups. Says Leo Burnett national creative director KV 'Pops' Sridhar, "The new campaign for Heinz ketchup is a comparative one with a touch of humour. We have tried to show that while other ketchups in the market are watery and have high levels of starch, Heinz ketchup has all natural ingredients and hence it is thicker, redder and tastier."

Going on to explain the three different television commercials (TVCs) Sridhar said the first commercial titled 'Mumbaiya' has two bowls filled with ketchup - one with Heinz and the second with an unnamed brand. A kid is shown taking out ketchup from each bowl with a fork. The "ordinary" ketchup drips down from the fork while Heinz stays put. Another point that is sought to be reinforced is that Heinz is priced competitively at Rs 39 against the Rs 49 that most others are priced at.

Heinz USP - thicker, redder and tastier than the rest

The second commercial titled 'Bihari' shows two plates with a smiley drawn on them with ketchup. One is the ordinary ketchup and the other is Heinz. Two kids are shown picking up the plate at an angle of 90 degrees. The smiley on one plate starts rolling down the plate once the plate is lifted, whereas the Heinz smiley is just as cheerful as it was before the plate was picked up.

Smiles all the way for Heniz ketchup

The third commercial that Leo Burnett has roled out for Heinz ketchup is again based on comparison. This time round, a French fry is shown being dipped in Heinz and also in another ordinary ketchup. While Heinz stays on the French fry, the other expectedly drips off from it.

"All in all, these commercials are not doctored and the demos we have shown can be carried out by anyone," says Sridhar. Elaborating more on the need for an ad campaign for the product, Sridhar says, "Heinz is the only worldclass ketchup in India and the company is now focussing on the Indian market by aggressively marketing and pricing the brand."

The agency has made the ad with the sole purpose of giving the consumers a reason to buy the product. As of now, the Heinz ad campaign is only on television and the print campaign will be rolled out in three - four weeks time. Says Sridhar, "In the future, we are looking at Radio, ambit and outdoor advertising for Heinz coupled with a whole lot of marketing initiatives which I will not be able to talk about right now. We are looking to excite the market and the consumers with Heinz."

Four years back when Heinz was launched in India, the company was very silent in the market, but it now looks like finally having woken up and is itching to make its presence felt.