Marketing Stunts Aren’t Strategy

Smoothie King is the latest collaboration causality

Smoothie King spent years rebuilding their reputation as the healthy smoothie brand. Which is why I can’t believe what they are whipping up this month.

A Heinz KETCHUP Smoothie?!?

Simply irresitible?!? Sure as a Meme, but not as a brand strategy.

A brand anchor is your positioning. When firmly established in the mind it is very powerful. Leadership at this point is about expanding your category and defending your position. It is also about clearly saying NO to anything that could weaken your anchor. Silly stunts slowly erode well earned trust. While short lived, they are a distraction to be avoided at all cost.

It is a pretty simple test.

Smoothie King = Healthy Smoothie

Heinz Ketchup = Highly Processed Condiment

Smoothie King + Ketchup = Harebrained

We are all laughing at you, not with you on this Smoothie King.

Ketchup is loaded with high fructose corn syrup and sodium. A single tablespoon has 5 grams of sugar and 160 mg sodium.

This is not just off-brand—it's a complete betrayal of everything Smoothie King has fought hard to establish.

And before you scream - but they are using Heinz “Simply” Ketchup! Give me a break. Nobody sees that fine print. When you see that logo there is only one Heinz in the mind and it ain’t healthy.

The Smoothie King Story:
Reclaiming their Anchor

Smoothie King's journey is a masterclass in what happens when you lose focus—and then find it again. Founded in 1973 by Steve Kuhnau, who invented the smoothie category itself, the brand originally stood for one thing: healthy, nutritious blends that could help people heal.

But by 2010, they'd completely lost their way. As one critic wrote, they were serving "Big Macs you sucked through a straw." They'd added sugar and ice cream to appeal to everyone, abandoning their health-focused anchor. Sales were profitable but stagnant. The brand stood for nothing.

Then Wan Kim, a franchisee from South Korea, bought the company and did something radical: he returned Smoothie King to its original mission of healthy smoothies. Despite franchisee objections and initial sales drops, Kim persisted. He overhauled 70% of the menu, removed sugar and unhealthy additives, and used only whole fruits and organic vegetables.

The result? Average revenue per store doubled from $300,000 to $600,000. The brand now has over 1,200 locations. They even launched a GLP-1 menu for Ozempic users—a brilliant move that reinforces their health positioning.

The Strategic Enemy > Unhealthy Fast Food

When Smoothie King refocused on healthy the brand became more powerful than ever. The focus on simple ingredients you can slurp via a red straw. Easy, delicious, portable. I called them out when they added Smoothie Bowls as being off brand. Smoothies should come with a straw, not a spoon. Bowls are a distraction, ketchup smoothies are dumbfounding even if limited edition.

The enemy is fast food. French fries and ketchup. Ketchup is the symbol of fast food. Why on earth would you team up with the enemy?

Because the Team Saw a Funny Tweet?

A few years ago, this tweet got some likes and comments: "If tomatoes are a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?" The comments were mostly very unkind.

I am not sure who had the dumb idea to do this - probably Heinz.

Smoothie King should have said no thank you.

Leaders need to say no even if Heinz calls and promises a viral moment and endless supply of Heinz Simply Ketchup for free. (They probably can’t sell it - this was just a neat way to unload it!)

For Smoothie King, a ketchup smoothie isn't clever. It's brand malpractice. It's taking everything your loyal customers believe about you and throwing it in a blender with corn syrup and red dye. Even Heinz can’t believe you said yes!

Sometimes the enemy isn't out there.

Sometimes it's the terrible ideas in your own conference room or sent to you by a big company promising a viral moment if you do a collab.

Just say no. Don’t become your own worst enemy. Stay true to your anchor.

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Note on Collaborations

I am not totally opposed to all brand collaborations. They can add a little fun and variety when they stay true to the core message.

Oreos in Edy’s Vanilla Ice Cream? No problem. Approved.

Oreos with Reese filling? Reese with Oreo filling? Who put Oreos in my Reese? Who put Reese in my Oreos? Sure - have it both ways. Approved.

But at the end of the day, the original is still the anchor. And you should never forget to reinforce it. Don’t take your anchor for granted. Just ask Nike or Starbucks.

These collabs get addictive and as companies rush for the next high it often doesn’t lead to good ideas. Oreos and Coke - two great tastes that make no sense together. It is a waste of time and resources that could be put to better use.