In what might have seemed like an April Fool’s joke in the making, Heinz took on the challenge of taking on ketchup’s biggest adversary: Chicago’s hot dog restaurants.
After announcing last week that “slamming” billboards dispensing ketchup would appear outside two city restaurants known for refusing to offer the condiment, Heinz has made its presence known.
The large billboard dispensing ketchup was spotted outside the popular hot dog restaurant The Wiener Circle on Monday, proving that it was indeed no joke.
“Heinz knows that Chicago has a complicated relationship with ketchup… However, nearly four in five people (88%) prefer Heinz Ketchup when dining out, so for many Chicagoans, nothing is more frustrating than being stuck in a restaurant without,” the company told NBC Chicago in a statement.
In addition to Wiener Circle, a billboard is also expected at “a fast food chain known for not serving Heinz at Navy Pier.”
At the same time, the company plans to launch a website where ketchup lovers can “report” restaurants in Chicago, or any restaurant nationwide, that don’t serve the condiment.
“For a select number of people, the brand will satisfy their ketchup cravings with pop-up billboards outside marked restaurants,” the company said.
These billboards will feature QR codes allowing fans to “redeem a personal stash of Heinz Ketchup to keep on hand for the next time they dine there.”
The “smackables” billboards will be on display through April 9, the company said.
NBC Chicago
