Through social listening, we discovered a new and unexpectedly niche use of Heinz – long-distance runners were replacing expensive running gels with ketchup packets.

Fueled by this insight, we wanted to celebrate this unconventional behavior, and recognize the runners who sprint on our sauce.

So, without an official partnership, we hijacked the world’s biggest running apps and made keystone-shaped routes that guided runners to Heinz ketchup.

Our goal was to boost brand engagement, generate positive publicity, and foster irrational love for Heinz.

In ‘Run on Heinz’ we hijacked the world’s biggest running apps and turned Heinz’s iconic keystone into running routes that guided runners to our ketchup.

Our target was the niche group of runners using our packets, and the running community at large.

To reach runners directly, we met them in the running apps where they spend their time, and tapped into the global running phenomenon, GPS art. Using the built-in functionality of the running apps, we created keystone-shaped routes that showed runners where to find our packets.

The campaign turned the iconic Heinz keystone into running routes in the world’s biggest running apps, leading runners to restaurants that carry Heinz.

We launched with an online film, social campaign, and a PR outreach plan that targeted both runner outlets and food lovers.

Without an official partnership, we made routes available for free in running apps (like Strava & MapMyRun) at the height of the running season in top-running cities across North America.

To create our routes, we analyzed thousands and thousands of streets to find perfect keystones that runners could run. Using the apps’ built-in functionality, we dropped our GPS art routes in Strava, and MapMyRun, ensuring they reached our unique target audience. With over 160 million runners on Strava & MapMyRun, our campaign gained international attention and inspired other brands, and runners around the world to draw their own Heinz maps.

The campaign had fans literally running on Heinz ketchup – twisting how running apps are usually used to reach runners. The digital campaign got global coverage, from Singapore to Seoul to San Francisco, amassing over 650M earned impressions, as well as a deep dive feature in the New York Times. But most importantly, we made it clear to our most unique fans that if you’re going for a run, it has to be Heinz.

● 672 Million earned media impressions

● 100+ international headlines, including The New York Times, Runner’s World, Daily Mail, USA Today, Men’s Journal, and ESPN

● International Heinz fans created their own keystone maps

● 1500 runners participated across North America

● 179% increase in social engagement