Heinz calls on hot dog and bun manufacturers to agree on pack sizes
Kraft Heinz Canada is attempting to solve one of the great dilemmas of our times: Why can’t the number of hot dogs in a package (10) match the number of buns (8)?
In the latest in a series of attention-getting marketing stunts for its Heinz Ketchup brand—which includes last year’s all-red jigsaw puzzle—the company is inviting what it calls “Big Bun” and “Big Wiener” companies to solve the problem by selling each of their respective product in 10-packs.
“This packaging mismatch has annoyed the world for far too long,” said the company in a release announcing its new “Heinz Hot Dog Pact.”
Timed to coincide with National Hot Dog Month, the campaign is anchored by a petition on Change.org asking bun and wiener manufacturers to sell their products in equal packs of 10. As of Thursday morning, the petition had amassed nearly 11,900 signatories towards its goal of 15,000.
“We all have a responsibility to right the wrongs in the world,” said one of the signatories. “Because those last two hot dogs in every pack deserve better than sandwich bread,” added another.
The mismatch between buns and hot dogs has long been discussed and debated online, and was the basis of a humorous scene in the 1991 Steve Martin movie Father of the Bride (watch below). It has been bemoaned on social media and written about by media outlets such as Huffington Post.
“We’ve seen our fans through social media express their outrage about the bun-to-hot dog ratio for years, and we know there must be a better way,” says Daniel Gotlib, associate director, brand building and innovation for the Kraft Heinz Company.
“As the iconic condiment that has been making hot dogs complete for over 150 years, we saw an opportunity to champion this issue on behalf of hot dog lovers across North America and help show manufacturers why they need to put an end to unequal packs.”
Kraft Heinz is directing people to the petition page via a social video and out-of-home advertising developed by its ad agency, Rethink.
