There are pitfalls to achieving major success as a brand. While some companies are said to be too big to fail, others can become too ubiquitous to be noticed.

Case in point: Classico, a ready-made pasta-sauce that’s been a best-selling staple on grocery-store shelves for decades. While the brand had built lasting success with its promise of elevated and quick meals, its slightly higher price point and an influx of similar competitors gradually wore away at its appeal and shelf visibility.

“Legacy is a gift, but it can also be a challenge in a fast-moving category like pasta sauce, where shoppers are often making quick, value-driven decisions,” Brian Neumann, head of brand and creativity at Kraft Heinz Canada, tells strategy. “In a shelf full of sameness, we knew we had to show up with more than just heritage.”

In hopes of bringing fresh sets of eyes to the 35-year-old brand, Kraft Heinz has rolled out Classico’s first campaign in five years, enlisting Salt XC to develop creative and strategy for the relaunch.

Neumann says a decision was made in the past year to reposition and reinvest in the brand by touching on authentic flavours and tapping into trends toward homemade-cooking.

“We designed the campaign to feel culturally in sync rather than sponsored content,” Neumann says. “Through this, we hope to create the kind of brand momentum that lasts well beyond this launch.”

Updated packaging with new colour blocking and labelling is a central component of the relaunch that also includes a mix of OLV, out-of-home, display and paid social activations.

An always-on influencer campaign featuring 20 creators in the culinary and family space has been designed to catch the attention of the brand’s millennial audience on TikTok and Instagram.

Launched this week, the rollout includes PR and influencer work from Heads+Tales and media by Carat.

“Our goal is to build an ecosystem that drives both emotional reappraisal and product trial, pairing traditional media with digital storytelling and appetite-appeal content to ensure Classico is showing up wherever and whenever food inspiration strikes,” Neumann says. “This marks a major moment of reinvestment in the Classico brand.”