Most people think they know what it means. They stare at the ketchup bottle, assume it’s about ingredients, recipes, history. But the truth behind Heinz’s “57 Varieties” is nothing like what you’ve been told. Long before “57 Varieties” became a cultural fixture, Henry J. Heinz understood something most brands still overlook: people cling to simple, specific ideas. On that 1896 train ride, the “21 styles” shoe ad didn’t impress him because of footwear, but because a concrete number made the message unforgettable. Heinz already sold more than 57 products, yet he deliberately chose a number that sounded distinctive, almost poetic....
Continues…