Heinz EZ Squirt - the Fun Continues; Online Sweepstakes Ties Heinz EZ Squirt With Popular Kids' WB! Cartoon, While Funny New Commercials Hit Airwaves.

Business Editors

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2001

Heinz North America, an affiliate of H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ) announced today the launch of a creative, multi-dimensional, multi-media advertising and promotion campaign to build on the successful introduction of its wildly popular kids condiment, Heinz EZ Squirt. The campaign has two components, which kick off this week:

-- Heinz has partnered with Kids' WB! to develop an online art sweepstakes for
kids.

-- At the same time, Heinz is premiering irreverent new television commercials,
which feature kids using the condiment in creative ways.

"Kids continue to clamor for Heinz EZ Squirt and the fun continues with our new promotion and ad campaign," said Casey Keller, Managing Director of Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces for Heinz North America. "Heinz EZ Squirt was one of the most successful product launches in America in 2000 and the new ads and the promotion with Kids' WB! capture the creative spirit and excitement of the product. After all, it's the first ketchup product made specifically for kids that gives them more control and creativity at mealtime."

Demand for Heinz EZ Squirt has been phenomenal with the company already exceeding its 12-month sales projections since the product's October launch. To keep store shelves stocked, the company is committed to a production schedule that runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Ad Campaign Highlights Kids' Creativity

Two 30-second spots, set to run on popular kids programs on ABC, FOX, Kids' WB!, Cartoon Network, FOX Family and Nickelodeon, beginning this week, showcase the fun and creativity of Heinz EZ Squirt usage in exaggerated scenarios with hysterical results.

Both commercials focus on usage and Heinz EZ Squirt's special drawing/control feature. The commercial spots take a humorous look at how kids get carried away with the product and end with the "punchline" ON FOOD and visuals of kids having fun using Heinz EZ Squirt at mealtime. During market tests, the ads scored in the top 25 percent for persuasion and purchase interest among similar products tested with kids. Additionally, the ads scored high in their ability to grab attention and for their humor. The commercials were created by Leo Burnett USA.

"The provocative campaign illustrates Heinz's commitment to the new product and the strategy of marketing directly to our No. 1 consumer, kids," said Casey Keller. "These ads, which show the product in fun outrageous situations, will appeal to kids and parents alike."

Squirt, Click and Win -- The Squirtstakes!

How cool would it be to "star" in a promotional spot for Kids' WB!? The winner of the Kids' WB! & Heinz EZ Squirt "Squirtstakes" sweepstakes will find out because the grand prize winner will be animated on their favorite kids broadcast network. As part of the sweepstakes, www.KidsWB.com will feature a virtual art experience where kids can get crazy and creative by playing with their food. A Kids' WB! "Detention"- scene template featuring program characters, including Miss Kisskillya, Shareen Wickett and Gug, can be "painted" using a variety of fun tools found in the "pantry." Kids can squirt Heinz EZ Squirt, add color with pitchers of paint and plop pickles, onions and burgers around the scene. If they don't like their creation, they can easily clean up the "mess" using virtual paper towels.

Another cool component of the Kids' WB! web page kids are sure to enjoy is a downloadable, interactive Kids' WB! Detention/Heinz EZ Squirt screensaver. Kids can search for the hilarious, hidden animations that are sprinkled throughout the image, including a butterfly, wild squirting ketchup, crumbling letters on the chalkboard and the ceiling spy.

Kids can submit their colorful creations (with their parent's permission, of course) every day to enter. The sweepstakes, which runs January 8, 2001 through February 4, 2001, can be accessed by logging on to the Kids' WB! website - www.KidsWB.com and clicking through to the sweepstakes page. One winner will be randomly selected to win. In addition to being drawn as a character on Kids'WB!, the grand prize includes a trip for four to the Warner Bros. Studios.

"We're thrilled to have Heinz EZ Squirt be a part of the wacky hi-jinks of "Detention" on Kids' WB! - it's a great pairing of pop-culture phenomenon that reaches our target market directly" says Kelly Stitt, Heinz Brand Manager for EZ Squirt. "Kids are the No. 1 consumers of ketchup, eating more than 5 billion ounces of ketchup each year and we're hoping to have to keep up our 24-hour-a-day production schedule for some time," she adds.

Twenty "Squirtstakes" runners-up will win a case of Heinz EZ Squirt, a Heinz EZ Squirt sweatshirt and a Kids' WB! T-shirt and hat.

Kids and parents will learn about the "Squirtstakes" through a newspaper coupon insert and in their local supermarket where in-store display shippers will promote the sweepstakes. The Kids' WB! & Heinz EZ Squirt "Squirtstakes" promotion was negotiated by Heinz and Starcom Worldwide.

The sweepstakes and advertising are natural progressions in the brand's development as kids provided the inspiration for EZ Squirt's fun color, package and control features. The EZ Squirt bottle is ergonomically designed to fit smaller hands and its special cap ensures a super-thin ketchup stream - which makes it fun for kids. In addition, Heinz EZ Squirt is fortified with Vitamin C; another first Heinz has introduced to the category.

Kids' WB!, a leader in kids' television, is the children's programming service of The WB Network. The network has set precedent with its innovative and diverse 2000-2001 programming schedule and is the No. 1 broadcast network for the second consecutive season. Kids' WB! brings viewers this season's breakout hits Jackie Chan Adventures, Pokemon: The Johto Journeys, Static Shock with the first animated African-American teen superhero, the all-original series X-Men: Evolution, the music-comedy Generation O!, along with the new mid-season series The Zeta Project and Cubix. The network also brings viewers the returning highly-rated hits Pokemon, Cardcaptors, Batman Beyond, Men In Black: The Series, Max Steel and other Kids' WB! favorites. Kids can find out more on Kids' WB!'s web site at www.KidsWB.com.

ABOUT HEINZ: With sales over US$9 billion, H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world's leading marketers of branded foods to consumers everywhere, whether in supermarkets, restaurants or on the go. Its 50 companies operate in some 200 countries, with more than 20 power brands, including the Heinz brand with nearly $3 billion in annual sales. Among the company's famous brands are Heinz, StarKist, Ore-Ida, 9-Lives, Weight Watchers, Wattie's, Plasmon, Boston Market, Farley's, Smart Ones, Linda McCartney, Bagel Bites, John West, Petit Navire, Kibbles `n Bits, Pounce, Pup-Peroni, Orlando, ABC, Olivine, Juran and Pudliszki. Information on Heinz is available at http://www.heinz.com.

Editor's Note: Heinz EZ Squirt product samples, broadcast quality b-roll footage, and copies of the commercials are available for distribution.