In a wide-ranging brand deal unlike any other in recent memory, The Walt Disney Company and Kraft Heinz have signed a multi-year “strategic alliance” that will span media and experiences, bringing the Kraft Heinz brands to Disney’s movie and television content, as well as to the company’s extensive theme parks and cruise businesses.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though it will include 10 Kraft Heinz brands, including Heinz (famous for its ketchup, of course), Philadelphia (cream cheese) and Kraft Mac & Cheese, which gets premium placement at Walt Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland in Anaheim, as well as on Disney cruises departing from North America.
The experiences component of the deal will also include new menu items and new condiment stations across the parks. Kraft Heinz will also have a presence at D23 this summer with sauces from the company’s sauce cellar.
But it also includes the media, as one can imagine Kraft Heinz brands being incorporated into Disney feature films or television shows (think of the role Mercedes-Benz played in… The devil wears prada 2 for example), or as part of event coverage, such as next year’s Super Bowl on ESPN (where ad space is at a premium, as always).
“From going to the movies and watching a TV show to going to a theme park, it’s all about bringing people together around these shared passions and audiences for some of these properties that I know Disney has across their broad portfolio, and that’s also what our 100-year-old brands have already done,” Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer for Kraft Heinz North America, says in an interview with Hollywood Reporter. “It allows us to show up in the dining moments that matter most to consumers when they’re having these shared experiences, whether that’s at a park, on a cruise ship, at a hotel or resort with fully integrated ways to meet fans where they are, and sometimes even at home while watching.”
“We will have storytelling-driven collaborations, media integrations, and experiential activations inspired by all of Disney’s iconic franchises and major sporting events,” he adds.
Kaplan says the two companies are still thinking about the specific places they will work together, as the multi-year nature of the deal gives them room to discuss what each company will offer in terms of products, films, shows and other things. With its broad portfolio of products, Kraft Heinz is among the largest marketers in the United States
“We’re really making sure that we can fully integrate our efforts across all of them as we look to revitalize and bring to life some of these really interesting properties,” Kaplan says. “As we look across their entire ecosystem of entertainment platforms and properties, and how and when we choose to integrate across the life of this long-term partnership, we are truly excited about the opportunity to create new opportunities and unlock new value for both of our organizations.”
Most important of all, it’s about merging one of America’s most famous entertainment brands and connecting it with the owner of some of its most famous food brands.
“Disney’s corporate alliances are focused on working with iconic brands with shared values to create meaningful experiences that bring families closer to the stories and places they love,” said Becca Vodnoy, senior vice president of Corporate Alliances at The Walt Disney Company. “Collaborating with Kraft Heinz is the perfect showcase for another brand that understands how families connect during everyday moments, and together we will build creative experiences for our customers across our destinations, platforms and fan touchpoints.”
“The reason we do this is because Disney and Kraft Heinz share something truly rare: For generations, families have grown up with each of our companies and brands. Whether it’s watching your favorite Disney movie, with Kraft Mac and Cheese, or whether it’s reaching for Heinz at the dinner table, our brands are truly woven into everyday family traditions,” Kaplan says. “We have these iconic, iconic brands that have been around for many years, so the partnership is not about creating that artificial connection, it’s actually about building on the memory structure that consumers already have for both of our brands, and bringing these moments to life in new ways.”
Among Hollywood companies, this is the kind of deal that only Disney can do, from the Super Bowl and big-budget movies to live shows and cruise ships.
