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Brand Analysis: Heinz

    When it comes to brand storytelling, few companies do it quite like Heinz. From playful social media campaigns to bold out-of-home stunts, Heinz has mastered the art of connecting emotionally with audiences around the world. In this breakdown, we’ll take a closer look at some of Heinz’s most creative recent campaigns—exploring how they captured attention, sparked conversations, and kept an iconic brand feeling fresh and relatable.


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    References:


    Contagious. (2023, April 26). Insight & strategy: Ketchup fraud. https://www.contagious.com/iq/article/insight-strategy-ketchup-fraud

    Heinz. (n.d.). Who we are. https://www.heinz.com/who-we-are

    Fear, N. (2025, April 19). Heinz somehow makes opening sauce packets a fashion statement with stylish tooth ‘grillz’. Creative Bloq. https://www.creativebloq.com/creative-inspiration/advertising/heinz-somehow-makes-opening-sauce-packets-a-fashion-statement-with-stylish-tooth-grillz 

    Neufeldt, J. W. (2024, August 6). How this iconic Heinz-‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ collaboration came to life. LBBOnline. https://lbbonline.com/news/how-this-iconic-heinz-deadpool-wolverine-collaboration-came-to-life

    Rethink Canada. (2023, April 26). Heinz Ketchup Fraud [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/vq2LJLKBuO8

    Heinz. (2024, July 15). Deadpool & Wolverine x Heinz [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN2rNIgy9JQ 


    Leadership, Audience & Integrated Marketing: An Event Study of Coachella 2024

      For my COMM 323 ePortfolio Part 3 project, I chose to analyze Coachella 2024—one of the most iconic and influential music and arts festivals in the world. This assignment asked us to critically evaluate a large-scale event by examining its target audience, scope, marketing strategies, and areas for improvement, all while connecting our analysis to concepts from the course. In this video, I dive into how Coachella reaches its massive audience, what makes the event so impactful, and how strategic leadership and thoughtful design can elevate the attendee experience even further. Through this process, I learned how communication theory applies to real-world event planning and how leadership styles can shape both the logistics and creative direction of a high-profile event.



      References


      Billboard. (2024). Coachella 2024 draws over 250K attendees.

      Forbes. (2023). Economic impact of Coachella on local community.

      Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th ed.). Sage Publications.

      Peters, M. (2022). Music Festival Demographics and Marketing. Journal of Cultural Marketing, 15(2), 45–60.

      AOL. (2024, April 16). Coachella 2024: 5 things to do besides the music [Photograph]. AOL.

      The Power of Persuasion Behind Bars — Analyzing Sing Sing

        For my Persuasion class, I chose to analyze the 2023 film Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kwedar. This film, based on real events, follows a group of incarcerated men at Sing Sing Correctional Facility who find personal transformation through participation in a theater program. Rather than summarizing the plot, I focus on the persuasive interactions between two key characters: Divine G and Divine Eye. The power of persuasion is central to this film’s emotional core message.


        Credibility

        Divine G’s persuasion of Divine Eye is compelling in large part due to his credibility, or what persuasion theory would call “ethos.” Ethos is composed of three elements: competence, trustworthiness, and goodwill (Perloff, 2020). Divine G possesses all three in the context of the prison’s theater group. He has experience and success within the group, which signals competence. He’s a man wrongfully imprisoned, giving him moral credibility and building trust with others. And his genuine investment in Divine Eye’s growth reflects goodwill. These traits make Divine G a persuasive force not through coercion or authority, but through earned respect and authenticity. His mentorship is grounded in relational credibility, making his persuasion ethical and effective.


        Traits & Characteristics

        Module 5 of our course explored how factors such as age, gender, and socio-economic status affect how people are perceived and persuaded. In Sing Sing, the persuasive interaction between Divine G and Divine Eye happens within a context of systemic dehumanization—these men are defined by their crimes more than their character. The film challenges this by highlighting their intellect, humor, and emotional depth. Persuasion becomes a vehicle to dismantle internalized stigma. Divine Eye initially resists joining the group because of how he sees himself: as someone who doesn’t belong in the world of performance or creativity. Divine G works to reconstruct that self-perception. Here, persuasion isn’t about changing a belief on a topic—it’s about altering someone’s belief about themselves. That’s a profound interpersonal shift with social implications.


        Social Judgment Theory (SJT)

        Social Judgment Theory (SJT) explains how people evaluate persuasive messages based on their existing attitudes (Perloff, 2020). We have latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and non-commitment. Divine Eye, at first, places Divine G’s message (that theater has value and he has value) within his latitude of rejection. He’s skeptical. However, over time, Divine G uses non-threatening, affirming messages that gradually shift Divine Eye’s stance closer to acceptance. This slow progression from resistance to openness is a textbook application of SJT. It’s not a single persuasive act, but a series of moments—nonverbal encouragement, humor, vulnerability—that slowly expand Divine Eye’s latitude of acceptance.


        Reflection

        Watching Sing Sing and analyzing it through this lens changed how I think about persuasion. I often assumed persuasion was about changing someone’s mind about an issue, but this film reminded me that persuasion can also be about restoring a sense of agency and belief. It made me more aware of how identity, credibility, and small relational cues all influence whether someone is open to being persuaded. In future media interactions, I’ll be more critical of how messages target or uplift particular groups—and more appreciative of the subtle, interpersonal ways change is created.



        References

        Perloff, R. M. (2020). The dynamics of persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the 21st century (6th ed.). Routledge.

        Kwedar, G. (Director). (2023). Sing Sing [Film]. A24.

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