Heinz has its Trump card for ad

show the tomato sauce, which was considered too risky as a way to sell the product. The client rejected the concept.

But half-a-century later, Heinz and its advertising house, David the Agency, have resurrected it.

“The idea was inspired by the show,” Heinz brand head Nicole Kulwicki said. “The David team came to us with this idea and we felt it still worked today.”

She said the photos of the steak, the cheeseburger and the fries were shot to appear exactly as they were first presented by the fictional Draper.

Allen Adamson, founder of BrandSimple Consulting, said he thinks the ads work, but that print and billboards have limited appeal these days.

“While they were effective in the Mad Men days, people don’t linger that much with print ads,” Adamson said. “Today, you need to hit them between the eyes with a 2-by-4 to get their attention.”

Kulwicki said the three billboard ads will remain up in New York for the next month. No further print ads are planned. She said Heinz is sharing the billboard images on its social media channels.

“We wanted also to share the campaign with Mad Men and Heinz fans nationwide,” she said.

Jorge Aguilar, a brand consultant with San Francisco-based Prophet, said the “Pass the Heinz” ad is a bit late, coming two years after Mad Men stopped airing new episodes and well past the peak of its popularity. He suggested the sprawling packaged foods company could build on the ad to show how its products make life easier.

“When we think about Heinz, what does it give you? A condiment that is difficult to get out of the bottle. How are you helping my life become more easy?”

Kulwicki said the campaign was timed for the 10th anniversary of Mad Men and wasn’t just about tomato sauce, but the group’s latest products, such as a new yellow mustard and its five new barbecue sauces. – The Washington Post