# Heinz: #FindTheKetchupBoatGuy

> Heinz said its search for Elvis Francois reached 4.8 million people on Instagram.

- Owner: Heinz / The Kraft Heinz Company
- Kind: Campaign
- Sector: Food & beverage
- Seed date: 2023-02-14
- Peak date: Week of Feb 27, 2023
- Date basis: Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.
- Spread Score: 53 (Notable, provisional), v1.2
- Mechanics: Newsjacking, Mystery & lore, Platform jump, Press loop, Controversy

## Summary

Heinz turned Francois’s rescue story into an Instagram search. EmoNews interviewed him and connected the brand to him. CBS reported Heinz’s claimed reach. Later reporting showed the boat payment left navigation equipment unfunded; Heinz sent more money.

## Timeline

- 2023-01-18 — Armada de Colombia (X) — The Colombian navy publicized Francois’s rescue and his account of surviving on ketchup and seasonings.
- 2023-02-14 — @heinz (Instagram) — Heinz posted a message in a bottle asking users to help find Elvis Francois so it could buy him a boat.
- 2023-02-16 — @heinz (Instagram) — Heinz narrowed its search to Dominica and asked users to help locate Francois.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/heinz-findtheketchupboatguy

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Heinz: #FindTheKetchupBoatGuy.” Case HIS-00207. Spread Score v1.2: 53/100. Updated 2026-10-12. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-00207