I recently wrote about how much I like the Heinz ketchup logo – and how I had never realized it was a nod the “keystone”, Pennsylvania being the Keystone State and the keystone being the core holding together an archway. Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal featured a story about a new product from Heinz which seeks to solve the problem of how to best (and without a mess) use ketchup on the road and in the car. Enter the “Dip and Squeeze”!
Here is why I love the “Dip and Squeeze®” and can’t wait to try it:
- The name is suggestive and unique. You can easily understand (and visualize) what it does – it allows you to squeeze the ketchup like a regular packet or to open it for dipping.
- Heinz has successfully indicated the media that “Dip and Squeeze” is a proprietary name — the article uses quotation marks around the name as well as capital letters. This is excellent trademark use.
- The package uses the trademark properly and very well too – the name is in a different color, in a large bold font, and with a trademark symbol.
- It is bigger than an old packet of ketchup. After all, who ever grabbed or used just one of those packets?
- The packet shape suggests the protected Heinz ketchup bottle shape, and also contains the traditional keystone logo.
- Heinz wisely filed for trademark protection with the USPTO long before the product was finalized and released.
• The application for DIP & SQUEEZE® was filed two years ago in in September of 1999 based on an “intent to use” the trademark
• Heinz also filed applications for DIP AND SQUEEZE and DIP N’ SQUEEZE. I imagine these were filed to cover all angles while the product launch was planned in case the various versions/spellings were used. [Interestingly, Heinz’s attempt to file evidence of using DIP & SQUEEZE in the applications for DIP AND SQUEEZE and DIP N’ SQUEEZE was recently rejected by the USPTO as not showing use of the applied for marks.]
Innovative products deserve great brand names. And great brands names should be used properly and protected properly. It appears that Heinz has hit a home run here with an innovative product, great name, and proper protection. Are you doing the same for your products or services?
