BRINGING TINGLY TED’S TO LIFE
A SAUCY COLLABORATION WITH HEINZ AND ED SHEERAN
Challenge
Heinz and Ed Sheeran co-created Tingly Ted’s, a hot sauce named after Ed’s childhood nickname, designed to shake up the category with bold flavors and celebrity appeal. The goal was to create an unforgettable, newsworthy activation that would amplify awareness and engage shoppers in a personal way. The challenge was to pull off a high-profile experiential event with tight timelines and high expectations, delivering seamless logistics, creative impact, and flawless execution at a major retail location.
Approach
With a tight turnaround, Creatisan led the charge across every aspect of the activation. We sourced and branded a custom food van equipped with a full kitchen and stonebaked pizza oven, secured skilled chefs, and developed all creative assets. Before the big day, we ran a test cook-up at The Shard to ensure every detail was perfect. The main event took place at Sainsbury’s London Colney Superstore, where our team managed all logistics and execution, transforming the car park into a buzzing hotspot.
To the delight of fans and shoppers, Ed Sheeran himself made a surprise appearance, joining the chefs to serve up piping hot ‘Tingly’ pizzas from the branded van. The activation became an instant sensation, combining food, fun, and fandom in a way that perfectly embodied Tingly Ted’s ethos.
Impact
The event was a massive success, generating national headlines, viral social media moments, and remarkable shopper engagement:
Huge crowds gathered, extending into the car park, to catch a glimpse of Ed Sheeran and try Tingly Ted’s pizzas.
Fans were thrilled by Ed’s ‘Sauce-O-Graphs’ with everything from kitchen roll to sneakers getting the Tingly treatment, some even ending up on eBay within minutes.
The event capped off a larger-scale brand activation that drove sky-high sales and significant press coverage for Heinz and Tingly Ted’s.
Testimonials
Elisa Rossini, Heinz International Marketing & Innovation Manager, commented, "Bringing this all to life was truly a highlight, both personally and for the brand's success, capping off a full-scale Tingly Ted's activation that's already driven sky-high sales and now incredible press coverage! A true testament to the strength of creative thinking, teamwork, and strategic partnerships."
Ed Sheeran added, "It was super exciting popping into Sainsbury's and surprising some shoppers. Tingly Teds has been such a fun project so far, hope everyone is enjoying mixing it with whatever food they like. I'm still discovering meals that it makes even better."
