Thanks to strict sponsorship rules at the World Cup tournament, brands are being quite literally covered up. But they are fighting back. We've already seen Levi's cover up its logo at a World Cup stadium in an ingenious way, and Heinz is the next brand to jump on the bandwagon.
Heinz Canada has had its branding taped over at stadiums such as the Toronto Stadium (which is actually called BMO Field) and in response, has launched the Unofficial Stadium Ketchup, complete with a blacked out brand name on the label and strapline. And people on social media are loving it.
The bottle is still unmistakably Heinz, just proving the power of good branding.
On Instagram, the response was overwhelmingly positive: "Are these seriously being released? I want one!" said one user, while another said: "This is so so so so clever".
Some people pointed out the similarity to Levi's.
Gillette is another brand to do the same thing, it has cleverly covered up its logo with fake foam at Boston's stadium.
These brands that are covering up their logos are in some ways getting more publicity than those who have actually paid to sponsor the World Cup. I wonder if Fifa will think about that for the next World Cup, and what its response will be.
Have you created some standout branding this year? The Brand Impact Awards 2026 are now open for entries! You have until July 9 to enter and you can do so on the Brand Impact Awards website.
