In other words, the 57 has outlived the advertising campaign that created it.
It has become part of the brand’s heritage.
And that is a remarkable achievement for a number that was never actually intended to be an accurate product count.
## There Is Another Interesting Secret About the 57
If you’ve used Heinz ketchup from a traditional glass bottle, you may know that getting thick ketchup out can sometimes feel like a test of patience.
You turn the bottle upside down.
You shake it.
You tap the bottom.
You shake it again.
Nothing happens.
Then suddenly, an enormous blob of ketchup lands on your plate.
But Heinz has long promoted another little trick involving the famous 57.
The company says the **57 mark on the glass bottle is intended to provide a spot to tap**, helping ketchup move through the bottle more effectively. Kraft Heinz has described the engraved mark as the ideal place to hit the bottle to encourage the ketchup to flow.
So the number isn’t just decorative.
At least on traditional glass bottles, it can have a practical connection to the way people use the product.
That makes the 57 even more memorable: it is simultaneously a historical marketing symbol and a small part of the classic ketchup-bottle experience.
## The Psychology Behind a Simple Number
There’s a broader lesson hidden inside the Heinz story.
Numbers can be incredibly powerful in advertising.
A company could say, “We offer many different products.”
That’s vague.
But saying “57 Varieties” gives the customer something specific to remember.
Even if the number isn’t literally accurate, it creates the impression of abundance.
The same basic principle has been used by countless companies over the years. A precise number can sound more convincing and more memorable than a general statement.
Henry Heinz understood this surprisingly well.
He saw a shoe advertisement promising 21 styles and recognized that the number itself helped make the advertisement interesting. Rather than copying the number, he created his own.
And his choice proved remarkably successful.
More than a hundred years later, people are still asking what it means.
That’s pretty impressive advertising.
## The Number Became Bigger Than the Slogan
Over time, the words “57 Varieties” became less important than the number itself.
The slogan was used throughout Heinz advertising, on signs, delivery wagons, buildings, and product packaging. The Heinz History Center notes that the trademarked 57 became a major part of the company’s visual identity and continued appearing on packaging long after the original campaign.
