Heinz Vs. Other Brands: Ketchup

Kleenex®, Band-Aid® and Coke® all marketed their brands too well over the years. To many, every tissue is a Kleenex®, and every small plastic or fabric bandage is a Band-Aid®. On the other hand, people may refer to all (or perhaps only the dark) soft drinks as Cokes®, but that company enjoys a high level of customer loyalty that other common brands do not.

Building the Brand
The opposite side of well-known brands is that consumers readily differentiate product classes between brands. Ketchup is not referred to as a generic Heinz® as is the case with tissues and bandages, yet consumers make clear distinction between Heinz and other brands of ketchup. They also have their favorites and generally will not stray from the one to which they have