Tell it with Heinz: Personalized Ketchup

For the iconic brand Heinz Ketchup, syreta implemented the trend toward hyper-personalization in a likeable and user-friendly way. With the developed B2C e-commerce solution, any customer can create their own personalized ketchup bottle in just a few clicks - and bring good vibes to the next get-together with friends.

The operation is deliberately kept simple: via a clear interface, the desired text is entered, the favorite ketchup bottle is selected, and the order is completed directly. Anyone who wants can share the individual layout with friends immediately via Facebook and, at the same time, take part in a contest (voting). Immediately after checkout, the print-ready data is automatically transmitted to the printing company, so the personalized bottle arrives quickly to the customer.

This is what sets this e-commerce solution apart: an integrated product configurator, fully automated order processing including credit card integration, as well as end-to-end social media integration.

What makes the Heinz project in 2012 so remarkable is its timing: personalization as a marketing concept was still new back then, and social-media integration into e-commerce processes was not yet a given. The “Say it with Heinz” concept elegantly combined both - configure an individual product, share it directly via Facebook, participate in the voting. The customer thus becomes not only a buyer, but a brand ambassador.

Technically, there is more behind it than meets the eye: product configurator, automatic transfer of the print-ready data to the printing company, credit card integration, social media integration - all seamlessly connected. For syreta in 2012, this was early proof of what is now considered a commerce experience.

Personalization as a marketing tool - why brands rely on individualized products

The “Say it with Heinz” project is far more than a nice gimmick. Behind it is a clear marketing strategy: anyone who orders a personalized ketchup bottle with a friend’s name or a personal message will almost automatically share the result on social networks — and thus provide free advertising for the brand. The social media integration with voting function amplifies this effect deliberately. For Heinz, this means: every order is also a viral marketing element. For syreta, the project in 2012 was technically demanding because the product configurator, automatic data transfer to the printing company, and social media integration had to mesh seamlessly — and all of that with a user interface so simple it needs no explanation. The fact that hyper-personalization is now standard in e-commerce shows how forward-looking this approach was at the time.