When Kendrick Lamar screamed “MUSTAAAAAAARD” on a track just two months ago, little did he know he was setting the stage for one of the most unexpected and genius brand collaborations of the year. That one adlib—made in homage to DJ Mustard—has since spiraled into a viral meme moment that even spawned countless TikTok edits and social media remixes. McDonald’s, Crunchyroll, NFL teams, and other huge brands quickly jumped on the bandwagon, sharing their own versions of the meme, but it was Kraft Heinz that truly went above and beyond.
In what might be their most memorable marketing move in years, Heinz didn’t just post an image online—they took the meme to the streets, putting up an actual billboard in Los Angeles. And that wasn’t the end of it. Last night, DJ Mustard was nominated for Producer of the Year at the Grammys, and Heinz teased that DJ Mustard himself would be working on a brand-new limited-edition flavor, all while promoting him to the position of Chief Mustard Officer for Heinz. This level of commitment to the partnership is truly next level.
What I love about this collab is multifaceted:
🟡 Ryan Ford and the team at Cashmere continue to prove no one can do cultural marketing quite like them. Their ability to seize a cultural moment and turn it into a successful, multi-layered campaign is unmatched.
🟡 The timing couldn’t be better. There’s no hotter cultural wave right now than Kendrick Lamar, and this collaboration hits that sweet spot. Plus, let’s not forget DJ Mustard’s real name is Dijon—how perfect is that?
🟡 Heinz is not stopping at just a viral social post. They’re making a real commitment with an actual product. This marks the first time in a decade that Heinz is remixing their mustard, and that’s a bold move for a brand with such iconic status.
🟡 They listened to the internet. Fans have been begging for some kind of collaboration since November, and Heinz didn’t just respond—they went all in.
Fun fact: DJ Mustard has been rocking a $70,000 canary yellow diamond chain in the shape of a Heinz mustard bottle since 2013. While the chain has always been a cool nod to the brand, no one could have predicted that a simple 5-second adlib would lead to this major partnership. Now, the real question is how Heinz will surround this product launch with cultural relevance.
It’ll be interesting to see how they craft this campaign, keeping the same authenticity that inspired the collab in the first place. This Heinz x DJ Mustard partnership is a testament to the power of listening to pop culture, being responsive, and taking creative risks. Can’t wait to see where this flavor-filled journey goes!