Heinz are rewriting the rules of product launches with the introduction of their latest pasta sauce – Mr. Ridiculously Good’s Smooth Tomato Bolognese. To celebrate, Heinz in collaboration with VML The Cocktail has created a bold, multi-phase campaign that blends storytelling, mealtime and play, all brought to life through a unique collaboration with the beloved Mr. Men Little Miss series.
At the heart of the campaign is a brand-new storybook, which transforms Mr. Good into Mr. Ridiculously Good – the latest addition to the world of Mr. Men Little Miss. Designed to connect with families both on and offline, the rollout spans live events, nationwide OOH, paid social, and immersive retail activations, with each phase designed to capture imaginations of families across the UK.
Phase 1: A Storytime First
The campaign kicked off in July with a launch event at Waterstones where families enjoyed the very first live reading of the exclusive Mr. Men Little Miss x Heinz book. Guests also sampled the new Smooth Tomato Bolognese, experiencing firsthand how the smooth, no-chunk recipe is tailored to children who shy away from vegetables. By putting the sauce on bookshelves before supermarket shelves, Heinz delivered a playful twist on the traditional product launch.
Phase 2: Taking the Story Nationwide
Building on the storybook debut, Heinz is now rolling out the second phase of the campaign, designed to take Mr. Ridiculously Good from the page to the public.
- Out-of-Home Campaign
A nationwide OOH campaign cleverly integrates Mr. Ridiculously Good into striking creative executions, showcasing the sauce’s smooth texture and veggie-packed recipe while turning everyday mealtime struggles into fun, solvable moments. You’ll find placements across the UK including, London, Glasgow, Bristol, Sheffield, Birmingham and more. - Instore Activations
Heinz has also launched immersive activations across Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, and Morrisons stores, headlined by a full storefront takeover at Waitrose’s UK flagship location. Families can discover the playful world of Mr. Ridiculously Good and win a copy of the limited-edition Mr. Men Little Miss x Heinz book with their purchase. - Paid Social Campaign
To amplify reach, Heinz is rolling out animated and interactive content across Instagram and Facebook. The paid social campaign brings Mr. Ridiculously Good to life on parents’ feeds, ensuring the story extends beyond the page and into everyday family life.
Heinz Smooth Tomato Bolognese offers the same great taste as the original Heinz pasta sauce range, but with a smooth, no-chunk texture, addressing one of the top concerns of parents struggling with family mealtimes. With 53% of British parents admitting to hiding veggies in meals, this launch is especially relevant for busy families seeking drama-free dinners.
“Our new pasta sauce is made with busy parents in mind who are looking for a delicious meal to enjoy as a family, designed to calm the chaos, dodge the drama and win over the harshest food critics of them all: kids. With a little help from Mr. Ridiculously Good, we hope we can help parents make mealtimes smooth sailing and ridiculously fun again,” said Almudena Rein, Head of Culinary Tomatoes at Kraft Heinz.
The packaging itself reflects the playful partnership: Mr. Ridiculously Good appears front and centre, with four limited-edition collectible jars, each revealing a different chapter of the storybook.
“With Heinz Pasta Sauces, we are always looking for ways to keep building on the legacy of the brand. We seek to tap into culture and stay relevant to our consumers. And this is the mindset that has made possible for the Heinz jar to end up on the covers of this iconic book series,” said Gloria Hernández, Executive Creative Director at VML The Cocktail.
“Mr. Men Little Miss and Heinz are two of the UK’s most iconic and beloved brands; instantly recognisable, and part of everyday life for generations, they’ve each earned a special place in the hearts of families across the country. This collaboration brings together two symbols of British culture in a way that feels both fun and deeply familiar. We couldn’t be more excited to see it come to life.”, said Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer Sanrio (EMEA, India and Oceania) and Mr Men (Worldwide).
This campaign marks the latest in a series of disruptive moves from Heinz and VML The Cocktail, proving once again that the pasta sauce category can be anything but predictable.
