LONDON — June 13, 2023: Today, chart-topping musician Ed Sheeran, The Kraft Heinz Company and WMX at Warner Music Group celebrate the launch of the new creative campaign for Tingly Ted’s hot sauce. As a self-proclaimed sauce fanatic, the integrated campaign is a nod to Ed’s longtime love of sauce which has inspired the co-creation of his new Tingly Ted’s brand.
This project was realised through WMX’s newly launched Ventures offering, which gives artists and brands the opportunity to look through the lens of legacy, beyond music. The Ventures team at WMX works with artists to take their ideas from conception to launch. The team also brings the option of collaborating with leading partner companies, leveraging their expertise in the field to ensure success from launch. In addition, WMX provides the creative advertising support to take the campaign to market, creating connections with existing fans and new audiences.
Working in collaboration with the experts at Kraft Heinz, Ed Sheeran developed a hot sauce like no other.
Bob Workman, Head of WMX, Artist & Fan Experience, SVP International Artist & Brand Partners: “For Ed and WMX, this project speaks to what is possible when an artist is given the opportunity to bring an idea to life alongside some of the world’s most creative industry names. Working with the likes of Smuggler and John Nolan Studios to make Ed’s vision a reality is evidence of the inherently creative DNA that Warner Music artists embody. From the outset, Tingly Ted’s has been driven by Ed’s desire to create a hot-sauce product that deserves serious shelf space - and the ambition to shape a creative idea that captures this. Music sits at the intersection of creativity and culture, and at WMX we’re committed to uniting Artists and brands to discover opportunities that continue to influence and inspire audiences.”
Charlie Rout, Associate Creative Director, Artist & Brand Partners, WMX: “It's not every day you get permission to look inside the wild and wonderful imagination of Ed Sheeran, let alone bring John Nolan along for the ride. Hot sauce has traditionally lent on the likes of heavy metal and crossbones for its brand identity, but we were working with Ed Sheeran and a grumpy 6 ft teddy called Ted. When developing Ted, we always saw Ed and Ted as two sides of the same coin, opposite ends of the same table. Whilst Ed is chilled-out, welcoming and an all-round good guy, Ted by contrast is grumpy and hot-tempered - as if your belly had its very own persona. From there, we wanted to develop a world for Ed, Ted, and the new product to play in. Something that could go anywhere over time, and what better place to start than a diner with his best friend.”
“When we first introduced Tingly Ted’s earlier this year, we were excited for the world to meet the brand and try the ‘ketchup of hot sauces’. Now, we can’t wait for people to get to know Ted and experience life as he sees it: covered in the perfect amount of Tingly Ted’s,” says Andre Fernandes, VP Taste Elevation, International Zone at The Kraft Heinz Company. “We’re so proud of the creative thinking, collaboration and insight that went into this campaign – it’s just one of the ways we’re partnering with cutting-edge innovators to transform how we market our brands and connect with our consumers. We’re on an exciting transformation journey, and we’re happy we get to bring Ed and Ted along with us.”
The creative idea for the launch campaign was driven by Ed’s natural tendency to make things for all people; hot sauce being no exception. Tingly Ted’s is a hot sauce fronted by a giant teddy bear, not a skull & crossbones, flames, or Grim Reaper. A dip designed to make you smile, not sweat. To crave more, not cry more. To enjoy as an everyday essential, not a niche novelty. Quite simply, Ed Sheeran in liquid form but with a tingly ‘je ne sais quoi’.
This is the inspiration from which “Makes Anything A Tingly Thing” was born. A campaign that dines out on the sauce’s universal ability to hit the spot, not burn it, for everyone and everything.
The campaign films see Ed and Ted together at meal-time. There, viewers are invited into the world of Tingly Ted’s. Where they will discover Ted’s insatiable love for tingly stuff, mind-blowing flavour, and that even Ed Sheeran can be eclipsed by the universal appeal of tingly sauce.
Inspired by Ed’s original idea, the short film series was developed by the WMX team at Warner Music UK, in collaboration with Kraft Heinz. It was produced by leading production company, Smuggler, and directed by Benji Weinstein. To help bring the idea to life, John Nolan Studios - one of the world’s most celebrated animatronics creators - was enlisted to create Ed’s larger-than-life sidekick ‘Ted’, named after Ed’s own childhood nickname. Editing was handled by Saints Editorial, and post-production by No8 London. Adaptations and social media were provided by Hogarth Worldwide, consumer PR by Wonderland, and media by Carat. Brand design was by JKR.
Three social films featuring Ed + Ted will be featured across Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, Pinterest and Reddit, with the first going live today (13th June 2023). They will be supported by Spotify audio ads, national OOH including Piccadilly Lights, and two painted mural sites in London and Manchester.
Tingly Ted’s, which comes in two flavours, ‘Tingly Sauce’ and ‘Xtra Tingly Sauce’, is available now online and in most major retailers across the UK.
Check out the new campaign HERE and be sure to follow Tingly Ted’s on Instagram.