Heinz found a clever way to join the Chinese National Games conversation by transforming its tomatoes into athletes, without being an official sponsor.
To mark the opening of the event, held from November 9 to 21 across the Greater Bay Area (Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao), the ketchup brand teamed up with Heaven & Hell Shanghai to create a playful visual series where tomato stems come to life as sprinters, archers, and divers.
Each “athlete” was crafted from the green peduncle of the fruit, bent and shaped to express movement, energy, and determination, a perfect metaphor for the campaign’s message:
“Every Tomato That Strives to Win is in Heinz.”
By reimagining the very symbol of its product, Heinz pays tribute to the rigor and quality behind its sauces, while celebrating the spirit and perseverance of Chinese athletes.
In total, 34 tomato athletes were created, each representing one of the sports featured at the Games.
Displayed in train stations, subways, and across social platforms like Xiaohongshu, the campaign quickly caught public attention for its humor, simplicity, and originality. By combining the everyday familiarity of a tomato with the ambition of professional sport, Heinz once again proves that a brand can earn cultural relevance without forcing it.
Beneath the playfulness lies a deeper message: the pursuit of excellence, whether athletic or culinary, requires the same ingredients: Precision. Craft. And passion.
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