The value of Heinz-sight

When László Bíró, the Hungarian inventor, patented his ballpoint pen in the 1940s he probably didn’t expect the eponymous “biro” to become the word many of us use to refer, generally, to all ballpoint pens.

Brand synecdoche is when a part, here biro, comes to stand for the whole - every pen available on the market. It’s a sure sign that you are the number one brand in your niche when people speak as though no others exist.

The next level above this is when your brand name becomes a verb. Hoover the car, will you? Google it!

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The extent to which “to Google” is now an infinitive verb in the English language is perhaps demonstrated by the fact that it even has an equivalent in the Russian language: guglit'.

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Of course, people still Ask Jeeves and use Yandex to search topics online.

Brand loyalty – with extra beans?

When we found out that Heinz, the red sauce that coats many of our childhood memories, has bean developing a red tattoo ink with Brazilian manufacturer Electric Ink, it’s safe to say we were curious.??

How does the level of fervour required for a brand to become synecdochal relate to people feeling passionate enough about a product to get it inked on their bodies??

For a long time now fans of Heinz have been getting tattoos of the 57 bottle logo. And like all good communicators, the brand listened.?

The new Heinz campaign is in part about creating safe red inks in an industry that is not particularly well regulated when it comes to ingredients.?

Since January 2022 the EU has banned 4000 substances from being used in tattoo inks, as part of their REACH guidelines working towards safer industry standards.?

John Swierk, Assistant Professor at Binghamton University, told NAAMA that, “we have seen a fair number of cases where there is a discrepancy between what's supposed to be in the bottle of ink and what is actually in the bottle.”

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“That may be a cause for concern.”

There’s a stark parallel here to the recent “Even when it isn’t Heinz, it has to be Heinz” campaign that depicted people in restaurants decanting non-branded tomato sauce into glass bottles of Heinz.?

That’s the strength of the placebo effect, then.

The power of the red ink campaign is manifold: the brand is already thought of as being authentic, it is related to our childhood memories, school dinners, and so on. That they listen to their fans, creating a product that solves a problem in an authentic, subcultural space, is further proof of their authenticity.

And when marketing to Millennials, authenticity should be placed above all other virtues. They grew up in a world of branded content and want to hear from informed, real, and honest voices. For anyone younger, who grew up with deepfakes, it would make sense if they too valued real content.?

To further understand the market of love-so-strong-must-get-inked devotees, we spoke to Lottie, a US-based ketchup connoisseur, about her unique Heinz tattoo and what the brand means to her.

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“I'm a trashy Midwestern person, so I've always had ketchup with everything,” Lottie jokes with us on a call.

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“In college when you’re discovering more about yourself and trying to find out what your quirks are - because it’s cool to have a shtick – I decided, I'm obsessed with ketchup.”

For Lottie, the brand simply equates in her mind to two things: home and comfort.

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“Whenever you go into a little country diner, or little breakfast place, in the town where I grew up - where the little old men go to first thing in the morning - they have ketchup.”

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“It’s usually in a glass bottle and has the printed 57 on the neck. It's a staple.”

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Unusually for a Heinz-lover, all of Lottie’s tattoos are black and are not all condiment related. From an 80s Sci-fi tribute to clean Bauhaus aesthetics, her tattoos are grounded in solid, clean design and iconography.

Doing the unthINKable

We must say, Lottie has considered removing her Heinz tattoo.

“I think I would take the 57 off and do the outline of the label in the new red.”

To be sure, her love remains undying for the saucy red stuff. It’s the placement of her tattoo that is no longer ideal in her eyes.??

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“It’s the most noticeable tattoo I have - it’s on my wrist. At dinner, it’s the first thing an awkward somebody will gravitate towards.”

Last thoughts

At NAAMA you’ll feel confident to join one of the many people who get inked with a brand they feel love for.?

And with the LightSense? laser, “red ink tends to be much, much quicker to remove," says Leslie, who regularly communicates with NAAMA’s clients.

From Heinz devotees to Thrasher zealots, laser removal presents the opportunity to reimagine a tattoo, whether that’s because of placement, design, colour, or the brand you love launches a new livery.?

You’re also covered if the vibe around a brand shifts. Think Harry Potter fans after J.K. Rowling’s tweets, or people removing Kanye West tattoos (Yeezy come, Yeezy go) after his controversial comments.?

You can clear your skin fresh for another branded design, a cover-up, or even nothing at all.

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We’re not quite there with the synecdoche stuff, but we’ve got your back (or wrist) on this journey to brighter places.

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If you’re no longer enamoured with your tattoo, just NAAMA it away.