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Even though it's been off the air for two years, Don Draper and his Mad Men colleagues are still influencing real-life advertising. In the show's sixth season, Don pitches an idea that's "clean, simple and tantalisingly incomplete" for Heinz ketchup. It shows food that's missing one thing: "Pass the Heinz" the copy reads. Unfortunately for Don, the fictional Heinz suits don't get it, and pass on the idea that feels like "half an ad." The good news for Don—or at least the Mad Men writers—is the actual Heinz is interested.
On Monday, Heinz announced it was working with the fictional Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, along with the actual ad agency David, on a campaign that uses Don's "Pass the Heinz" slogan. According to AdWeek, the ads will appear in the New York Post and in Variety, plus on billboards in New York City.
The David agency actually had to recreate the images, since they weren't preserved from the production of Mad Men. Advertising Age notes that while they didn't work with Mad Men to put the product placement on the show, they did work with the producers at Lionsgate to get to use the campaign in real life now.
In the actual episode, 'To Have and to Hold', Heinz executives aren't too keen on the idea. And then in walks Peggy Olson, with an ad campaign of her own. It remains to be seen if "Heinz. The Only Ketchup" will be taking over billboards anytime soon.
