The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2022
Heinz sent a fan named Heinz to the 2022 World Cup as a human billboard
Not a FIFA sponsor, Heinz Arabia sent Thomas Heinz - a German fan whose name matched the brand - inside the Qatar World Cup and earned $450K in coverage.
Heinz Arabia (Kraft Heinz)
The solution
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was the biggest brand stage of the year, but Heinz Arabia was not an official sponsor. With official activation out of reach, the brief for FP7 McCann Dubai was to connect the ketchup brand to the tournament in a disruptive, witty way that carried it before, during and after the event.
The agency built the campaign on the brand's own name: not hijacking the World Cup, but 'Heinzjacking' it. They found Thomas Heinz, a Hamburg football fan who shared the brand's surname, and flew him to Qatar. In a branded red jersey, he walked the fan zones and stadium precincts as a human billboard - a friendly, ordinary embodiment of Heinz that fans could approach and interact with.
To keep the stunt alive, the campaign gamified it. Fans were challenged to find Thomas and post proof with #FindHeinz on Instagram; he posted daily hints about his location and prizes were given to those who caught up with him, on the ground and through immersive 360-degree video on the VUZ app. The content stream ran for the tournament window, 10-29 November 2022.
On a very low budget, the activation reached over 7 million people, generated 14 million impressions across content pieces and delivered more than 70% engagement, along with thousands of prizes given to fans. The earned media coverage was valued at over $450,000, an estimated media ROI of 45:1. The work went on to win the Outdoor Grand Prix at Dubai Lynx 2023.
Why it worked
- It monetized an asset the brand already had - its name - instead of paying for sponsorship rights it couldn't afford.
- A person is more approachable than a logo: fans could find, photograph and play with the brand in person.
- The #FindHeinz game turned every fan encounter into shareable content, multiplying reach without media spend.
- The character's 15 days of World Cup visibility gave Heinz a presence official rivals paid millions for.
What can be applied
When you can't buy a stage, become a character on it. An ordinary person who embodies the brand can outperform official sponsorships if the audience gets a game to play.
Aftermath
Thomas Heinz became a memorable part of the 2022 World Cup and a talking point in regional advertising press, where the low-budget stunt was highlighted as a model of guerrilla marketing. The Heinzjack work won the Outdoor Grand Prix at Dubai Lynx 2023, cementing FP7 McCann's reputation for ambush-style brand plays. For Heinz Arabia, the lesson was that a non-sponsor could still own a global event by making its own name the entertainment.
Sources
- Heinz Arabia - The Heinzjack (2023 Caples winners)
- High Five: Shrinking Budgets and Looming Deadlines
- All the 2023 Dubai Lynx winners
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