Heinz makes Christmas wait in first regional 'Heinz season' campaign

Heinz is bringing fresh creative flavour to the festive calendar with “It’s Heinz season”, the brand’s first-ever regional Christmas campaign for Southeast Asia, developed jointly by BBDO Bangkok and BBDO Guerrero and launched in Thailand and the Philippines.

The initiative marks a milestone for the global ketchup icon - uniting two of the region’s most expressive, food-loving markets under a single creative platform that blends Thai charm, Filipino warmth, and Heinz’s globally recognisable visual identity.

The campaign stems from a truth that resonates deeply in both markets: in Thailand and the Philippines, food is a national point of pride. Families are particular about authenticity, especially during Christmas when Western-inspired dishes often take centre stage. For many households, the meal simply cannot begin unless Heinz is on the table - an expression described in the campaign as “irrational love”.

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This behaviour sets the stage for “True love waits”, the creative idea anchoring the campaign.

The hero film opens on Christmas Eve inside a festive family home. A table laden with homemade Western-style favourites - sausages, hand-cut fries, crisp lumpia, Filipino-style barbecue sticks, fresh salad and a golden, imperfect homemade pizza - captures the texture of Southeast Asian celebrations.

As the family finishes saying grace, an unusual silence descends. No one lifts a fork. All eyes shift subtly around the room. Someone, or something, is missing.

When the doorbell rings, the family rushes to greet the older son, welcoming him with emotional hugs. But the true reveal comes moments later: the mother reaches into his bag and retrieves a bottle of Heinz ketchup. The family had not been waiting for him - they were waiting for Heinz. Once the ketchup hits the food, the room erupts into joy. Plates move, glasses clink, and Christmas finally begins.

“This campaign is a landmark for Heinz in Southeast Asia. It’s the first time we’ve united our markets with one story that truly reflects who we are - globally iconic, but locally loved. Heinz has always stood for authenticity, and this Christmas, we’re showing how that love for taste brings people together,” said Kittinai Viputthikul, head of regional marketing, South, Southeast Asia, and Hong Kong at Heinz.

The campaign is Heinz’s first unified, through-the-line initiative across the South, Southeast Asia, and Hong Kong region, and the first co-created by the Bangkok and Manila arms of BBDO.

“Heinz is a brand with a global creative legacy, and this collaboration proves that regional storytelling can be just as powerful. By uniting the cultural truth of two foodie nations, we created a campaign that feels both proudly local and unmistakably Heinz,” said Somkiat Larptanunchaiwong, CEO of BBDO Bangkok.

“Christmas is a time of coming together. And we are delighted to have worked together with Heinz and our colleagues in BBDO Bangkok to uncover the shared cultural truth that a meal isn’t complete until everyone is there - and especially if that someone is bringing the Heinz,” David Guerrero, chairman and chief creative officer of BBDO Guerrero, added.

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