Outpace your competitor by 3x? That's exactly what happened.

Heinz Let Go. Sales Took Off.

For years Heinz believed the glass ketchup bottle was sacred. Iconic. A symbol of the brand. The problem? It was a nightmare to use. Everyone remembers the table-tapping, bottle-shaking workout just to get ketchup on a plate (and that one person at the table who swore they knew the “secret trick” to hit the 57 so it came out just right).

In 2002 Heinz flipped the script with the upside-down squeeze bottle. Within a year of introducing the new design, Heinz grew about 3x faster than competitors.

Here's the lesson for all of us: A brand is not what you think is iconic. A brand is how you remove friction and create value for your customer. Heinz was loyal to glass. The customer wanted ease. The customer won. (And so did Heinz!)

This same trap shows up well-beyond ketchup. Companies hold onto packaging, programs, or practices because they feel iconic. Even when customers want something different.

Take action today: What are you still holding onto because it feels iconic? And is it helping you grow…..or holding you back?