Food Stylists Fake Everything to Get the Perfect Shot... Except Heinz

Food stylists make the cuisine used in advertising look perfect. So, of course, it's almost always fakery. Denture cream pinch hits for mayo and that strawberry gets its red hue from nail polish.

One ingredient that doesn't need to be faked, however, is ketchup. Specifically: Heinz.

Rethink launched "Unfakeable," a :60 targeting Gen Z and Millennials that gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of food photography and why Heinz needs no substitute.

"We wanted to put our ketchup to the test," says Lizzy Goodman, brand communications manager at Heinz. "We invited real food stylists to a commercial shoot to learn about the tricks that go into making food look 'camera ready.' The stylists did not know this was a commercial for Heinz, and yet unlike the other ingredients on set that were manipulated to achieve a certain look, Heinz ketchup remained untouched—used right out of the bottle.

The ad is running on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

The next time you see food advertising, remember: Shoe polish enhances hamburger grill marks, and they screw pizza to tables to create those epic cheese pulls we all dream about.

CREDITS

Client: Kraft Heinz
Nina Patel, Head of Brand Comms North America
Megan Lang, Director, Brand Comms
Jacqueline Chao, Sr. Brand Manager
Lizzy Goodman, Brand Manager
Jenna Thornton, Director of External Communications & PR, North America
Alexandra Lieberman, Manager, North American Brand PR and Media Relations

Production & Creative: Rethink
CCO: Aaron Starkman, Mike Dubrick, Daniel Lobatón
CSO: Sean McDonald
Executive Creative Director: Xavier Blais
Creative Director/Writer: Geoff Baillie
ACD/Writer: Jordan Darnbrough
ACD/Art Director: Nick Noh
Art Director : Scott Johnson
Head of Strategy: Julian Morgan
Senior Strategist: Emma Bayfield
Director of Broadcast, Toronto: Shelby Spigelman
Director of Integrated Content - Print/Studio:  AJ Merrick
Senior Broadcast Producer: Alex Butt
Group Business Lead: Adam Ball
Group Account Director: Rob Dix
Account Supervisor: Rachel Cloth
Account Manager: Sharlyn Barahona
Photographer: Maya Visnyei
Photo Assistants: Keessa Lynch, Will Putz
Producer (Photography): Nicole Gomez
Studio Manager: Kaeli Van Bendegem
Creative director/Art director: Zach Bautist

Production Co.: Asymmetric
Executive Producer: Evan Landry, Nick Burry
Line Producer: Jason Aita
Director: Toby Dye
Cinematographer: Rico Moran

Editing House: Saints Editorial
Executive Producer (Editorial): Emily McKay
Editor: Stephen Sora
Editor: Mark Paiva

Colour / Online: Darling VFX
Colorist: Patrick Samaniego
VFX Artist: Steve McGregor
Executive Producer (Colour & Online): Morgan Campbell

Audio House: OSO Audio
Creative Directors (Audio): Harry Knazan, Daenen Bramberger 
Executive Producer (Audio): Hannah Graham
Producer (Audio): Kristine Lippett

Media: Dentsu/Carat
Nicole Tarazona, Associate Director, Planning
Micahya Byrd, Senior Manager, Planning
Elizabeth Schuler, Senior Associate, Planning

PR: Zeno Group
Missy Maher, EVP, Head of Integrated Communications
Courtney Pischke, EVP Media
Alysa Winkler, VP
Bethany Roth, Senior Account Supervisor
Veronica Smith, Account Supervisor Media
Nicolette Stern, Senior Account Executive
Lulu Saias, Account Executive