Summer must be silly season in the condiment community. This past week, we’ve heard of not one but two hazy, crazy, lazy promotional ideas from leading condiment brands. Is it merely a coincidence that the height of barbecue season is just around the corner? I don’t think so…
The start of summer has always been synonymous with the official start of barbecue season. And that has traditionally triggered a upswing in bothg interest and sales odf cond9iments. The Holy Trinity of condies has always been Ketchup, Mustard and Mayo. And leading names in two of those three categories are hot on the trail of your awareness and affection.
Heinz raises burgers to ‘art’
Heinz is asking burger fans to flex their artistic sensibilities and create their idea of ultimate Burger Art – using Heinz sauces, of course. The Art Of The Burger contest is open now until July 12, and the official rules are here.
“The Heinz Art of the Burger contest returns! – heavy emphasis on the ‘Art’. Using Heinz sauces, create a #HeinzArtBurger inspired by one (or more!) of these artistic themes: Classical, Maximal, Minimal, Sculptural, and Experimental,” the official website enthuses. “Capture your work of burger art with a museum-worthy photo, and then share your delicious masterpiece either here or on social media to enter the grand prize running of $25,000 and a feature on participating BurgerFi menus! Plus, 50 runners-up will get bespoke Heinz Art of the Burger merch.”
Entries will be judged based on imagination, presentation, use of sauces and burger build. Check out the official gallery for an idea of what Heinz is looking for in your photo entries. And while you’re at it, you might want to leverage our recent post on the ticks and hacks food stylists use to make their clients’ products more visually enticing…
Kraft Mayo creates a Mayo-diak
Needless to say (?) it’s billed as the world’s first Mayo-diak (‘may-OH-dee-ak’), an horology designed produce, “personalized readings about yourself and your future based on the unique way you spread your mayo.” Are you a a scraper, a sloppy squeezer, or a dolloper?
No. Really. Get this…
There are 12 signs of the Mayo-diak, each with it’s own set of ‘traits and influences’. And the condie has enlisted comedian David Ebert (@electronicbert) as it’s first ever ‘official mayo smear reader’.
“Here at Kraft Mayo, we champion those who revel in their individuality, and the introduction of the world’s first Mayo Reader allows us to celebrate the uniqueness of Kraft Mayo lovers down to the way they spread their favorite condiment,” Kraft Real Mayo Brand Manager Frances Sabatier said in a statement. “Kraft Mayo is also all about standing up for love of mayo and other things that might be seen as polarizing. That’s why we’re diving headfirst into the controversial cultural debate around astrology with the introduction of Mayo Readings.”
The fun ends soon, though – June 2, when Mercury moves out of its dreaded retrograde phase, when – as The Old Farmer’s Almanac says – almost anything that can go wrong will go wrong, causing, “confusion, delay, and frustration.”
The rules are a little unclear (as you might expect when Mercury is retrograde), but it seems there may still be time to get in on a free reading by Ebert via Kraft Mayo Reader’s content on TikTok @RealKraftMayo or by tweeting their spread submission at @RealKraftMayo.
Completing the trinity
All we need now is a promo from French’s plugging their Mustard to complete barbecue season’s annual homage to the Holy Condiment Trinity. But what, I wonder, could they do to follow up their masterful July 1, 2020, rendition of O Canada by Walk Off The Earth, featuring French’s Ketchup bottles as musical instruments? Or their Mustard Beer from summer 2020? Or their Mustard Ice Cream from 2019? We’re on the edges of our seats…
~ Maggie J.