HEINZ | SPEC SOCIAL CAMPAIGN
Don’t Knock It ‘Til You Try It.
Imagining a campaign for my favourite food - Heinz baked beans.
role: creative, director, shooter, editor
The puzzle…
People are weirdly judgemental about food combos, but loads of “wrong” combos are actually good. Heinz Beans are incredibly versatile, but are often confined to a handful of familiar pairings. Anything that falls outside of what feels familiar is quickly dismissed.
The solution!
Heinz already knows it belongs and doesn’t need to convince people. Instead of arguing, Heinz embraces the doubt and invites people to try unexpected combinations for themselves with a simple nudge: don’t knock it ’til you try it.
Turning judgement into character…
Instead of telling people not to judge, the idea gives that judgement a voice.
By turning foods into characters, scepticism becomes human and relatable, not preachy. The audience sees their own doubts reflected in Penne, while Heinz remains calm and confident, never needing to justify itself.
Setup
Two foods that don’t “belong” are brought together, establishing a clear contrast in personality and behaviour.
Resistance
One side questions and resists the pairing, voicing the judgement most people feel. Heinz doesn’t resist, he is calm, confident, and unbothered.
Moment
A first bite interrupts that certainty - the internal dialogue cuts off as doubt and skepticism gives way to realisation.
Conversion
Without explanation, the pairing is accepted, proving the idea through reaction rather than words.
The shift from scepticism to surprise is communicated through expression and performance rather than dialogue and the need for explanation.
Performance-led storytelling
Close-up framing
Tight close-ups create a heightened sense of anticipation, allowing small changes in expression to carry the story.
Silence as a payoff
Penne's internal monologue cuts off the moment she tastes the food, creating a pause that gives the realisation room to land.
Confident brand role
Heinz never argues its case. He remains silent throughout, reinforcing quiet confidence.
The idea scales through a repeatable format built around the first bite moment, where scepticism turns into realisation. Each pairing follows the same structure, allowing it to work across scripted content, social reactions, and real-world testing.
Built around the first bite moment…
A mobile van invites people to try unexpected combinations, capturing genuine first bite reactions.
Taking it into the real world…
Capturing the moment…
Real reactions bring the first bite moment to life in a raw, social-first format. Captions hook attention, build anticipation, reflect the reaction, and prompt participation - reinforcing Heinz’s confident, playful tone.
Built for participation…
Audiences shape what gets tested next. Instagram Stories layer in participation through polls and prompts, allowing audiences to judge combinations before and after seeing the result.
