The integrated campaign surrounds the consumer, combining on-pack and in-store promotions, advertising, public relations and online elements. For the first time, Heinz is promoting its unique, contest-based campaign on the front and back labels of both consumer bottles (more than 57 million) and food service packets (more than 200 million) to communicate the ketchup campaign. "Top This TV Challenge" is the official website, which has complete information/details about the contest.

Pithy sayings placed on the bottles and packets have included, "Starving for the Spotlight?" and "Want a Taste of Fame?" Heinz is also promoting the voting phase with labels reading "America, It's In Your Hands."

Previously, noted Parsons, the company's "Say Something Ketchuppy" promotion was only featured on 36 oz. bottles and still generated 40,000 responses.

"Now we're not only blocking out the entire Heinz Ketchup shelf, but we're also leveraging with our food service partners," she said. "No other Heinz Ketchup campaigns have been promoted online in this size and scope."

Video submissions to YouTube ended on Aug. 6. More than 8,000 videos were uploaded since the contest's launch on April 16. Voting started Aug. 27 and ends Sept. 10. A panel of qualified judges from Heinz and outside sources will evaluate the eligible entries based on the judging criteria outlined in the Official Rules section on the Heinz "Top This TV Challenge" website. Elements to be judged include originality (40 percent); overall appeal (30 percent) and likelihood to motivate people to use Heinz Ketchup (30 percent).

Fifteen finalists will be selected. The winner snares $57,000 (the odd amount, of course, is another promotional tie-in to the famous Heinz 57 Varieties slogan) and four runner-up prizes of $5,700 each will also be awarded. Winners will be announced on YouTube and also announced and aired on national TV in mid-September. Heinz has not yet announced the media buy.

YouTube entries have been wide-ranging: comedic skits, raps, jingles, monologues, animated cartoons, traditional ad spots and artistic drawings. Parsons said the company also received scores of letters from people who didn't have access to a computer but wanted to share their ideas for the next Heinz Ketchup commercial.

"Someone from a prison even sent a letter with an idea about how Heinz Ketchup makes prison food taste good," Parsons said. "The level of creativity really blew us away -- the quality of entries and contest interest far exceeded our expectations."