The Pickle Pin

Why it works

At Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, H. J. Heinz found his display stuck on the upper floor of the Agricultural Building, away from the big attractions. His fix was to scatter small printed tags around the fairgrounds promising a free souvenir to anyone who came to the Heinz booth. The prize was a little green watch-chain charm shaped like a pickle. According to the Heinz History Center, hundreds of thousands of people climbed the stairs to taste samples and collect one; a curator there has said the crowds made the floor sag, and that neighbouring exhibitors thanked Heinz for the extra traffic. Visitors then wore the charm home, spreading the name as they went. It is studied as an early, cheap experiential mechanic that still works: a treasure-hunt invitation, a reward worth keeping and a branded object that travels. The charm became the Heinz pickle pin, still handed out today; the History Center notes it has been called one of the most effective promotions ever.