Heinz Launches Bold “Trade Up” Campaign in Dubai, Targeting Brand Switchers
Heinz is turning the heat up in the UAE with an audacious new stunt designed to convert brand-neutral consumers to loyalists. The “Heinz Trade Up” campaign invites Dubai residents to trade any generic or non-Heinz ketchup sachet for a full-sized bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup. The campaign highlights the brand’s position on taste superiority and consumer loyalty, with the underlying message: “There’s no ketchup like Heinz.”
Inspired by recent findings that one in three ketchup users globally are indifferent to the brand they buy, Heinz is taking direct aim at the so-called “ketchup switchers”—those content with whatever’s on the shelf or plate. The initiative seeks not only to reinforce Heinz’s premium standing but also to grow its market share by converting uncommitted consumers into repeat buyers.
Running until July 7, the campaign allows participants to drop off any brand’s ketchup sachet at participating supermarkets and retail locations in Dubai, including Carrefour, Choithrams, and Spinneys. In return, consumers receive a 570g bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup—marking a significant product upgrade for just a sachet’s trade value.
Heinz Middle East’s Head of Marketing, Passant El Ghannam, emphasized the campaign’s regional relevance and bold execution. “Switching from a branded ketchup to a generic one might seem small,” she noted, “but it’s a compromise on taste we weren’t willing to accept.” The campaign leverages Heinz’s longstanding brand equity and taste credentials to make a strong emotional and product-driven case for loyalty.
This initiative follows Heinz’s recent global efforts to push premiumization in the condiments category. By offering a free upgrade, the brand is investing in trial as a tactic to increase household penetration and repeat use. The UAE’s diverse consumer base and high per-capita consumption of imported grocery products make it a strategic location for such a drive.
Digital and social channels are supporting the campaign, with user-generated content and influencer engagement helping to amplify awareness. Participation details, including drop-off locations, are hosted on a dedicated microsite, creating an omnichannel consumer journey from awareness to conversion.
With this high-visibility execution, Heinz is sending a clear message to the FMCG world: even in