Kylie Young
Prof. A. Stracuzzi
ENGL 1007 Pop Culture – 40
15 February 2015
Heinz Ketchup, 2009 Semiotics includes the way in which we perceive and create meaning in messages we are exposed to. Advertisers often depend on semiotics to convey a message through an advertisement, quickly and effectively; usually in a clever manner.
A great example of semiotics used through advertising is the Heinz Ketchup advertisement. This ad shows what appears to be a classic glass Heinz ketchup bottle, sliced horizontally, with a tomato on top of the bottle. The bottle is centered onto a red background, with white lettering at the bottom of the page, which reads “No one grows ketchup like Heinz”. What seems like a rather simple advertisement, gives the consumer almost subliminal-type messages. Most people know that ketchup is full of sugar, and other unnatural ingredients. However, this ad pictures the ketchup bottle to be sliced like a tomato; which shows health and freshness to the consumer. Ketchup is by no means “grown”, it is manufactured in a factory. The advertiser’s behind this particular ad are basically attempting to redefine ketchup, by making the bottle appear like a fresh and wholesome vegetable. In doing that, it is almost “tricking” the consumer into thinking Heinz ketchup is healthier or has more nutritional value and benefits than the leading ketchup brands. The ad almost makes Heinz seem like it is also a tomato farm, growing their tomatoes and then using them to create fresh and healthy ketchup. Whether the brand actually did change the ingredients of the ketchup, is unknown. But the advertisement will sure catch the eye of those looking to eat healthier, or those wanting to feed their children healthier food. We all know kid’s love ketchup. However, this ad may not speak to those who do not care what they are putting into their bodies, or about nutritional content and value.
The way they turned the ketchup bottle into a sliced tomato is very clever, and artsy. Yet, it does not take away from what the ad is trying to sell, which is the ketchup bottle itself. Because
