National, 30th September 2025: Indians love their snacks — and they love them with ketchup. Whether it’s kathi rolls, samosas, pakoras, vada pav, noodles, or burgers, a little squeeze of that familiar red sachet is part of nearly every street food and café experience. This World Heart Day, Narayana Health, one of India’s leading healthcare providers, launched a clever pan-India guerrilla marketing campaign titled “Check-up Sachets” — using this everyday condiment to nudge people toward healthier choices and regular heart check-ups.
In a fun and unexpected twist, Narayana Health replaced ordinary ketchup sachets with branded “Check-up Sachets.” At first glance, they looked just like any other ketchup packet. But once opened, recipients discovered a folded message inside: “Cravings may come suddenly. Heart troubles don’t.” — along with a QR code linking to Narayana Health’s preventive health check-up booking page.
A Healthy Message, Hidden in Plain Sight
As an added twist, the back of each sachet listed the “real ingredients for a healthy heart”: physical activity, good sleep, a balanced diet, fiber and good fats, hydration, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, stress control, and regular check-ups.
This activation created instant buzz and sparked conversations — especially when handed out with a variety of beloved Indian snacks served across popular food joints of major Tier – 1 and Tier 2 cities in India. By transforming an item that’s quick, small, and routinely consumed without much thought into a tool for awareness, the campaign delivered a relatable, playful, and powerful reminder about preventive care.
Small Change, Big Impact
Heart health has become an increasingly important conversation in India, with lifestyle-related conditions like high blood pressure, poor diet, and stress contributing to a steady rise in cardiovascular issues — particularly among younger age groups. Studies show that heart-related conditions now affect more Indians in their 30s and 40s than ever before. But the good news is : many of these risks are preventable through timely check-ups and simple, consistent lifestyle changes.
That’s the reminder “Check-up Sachets” aims to deliver — by meeting people right where they are: at their favourite food stalls and snack corners.
“Great ideas don’t always need billboards. Sometimes, they fit inside a ketchup sachet,” said Dr. Ashish Bajaj, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Narayana Health. “With ‘Check-up Sachets,’ we’ve turned preventive care into a conversation starter in the most surprising places. If this campaign makes someone pause, smile, and think about their heart — then we’ve succeeded.”
Mr. Abhishek Misra, Country Head – Brand & Marketing, Narayana Health, added, ““The brilliance of ‘Check-up Sachets’ lies in its simplicity. Ketchup is universal. By turning it into ‘check-up,’ we’ve made preventive healthcare part of daily life. This kind of creative storytelling helps bring serious health topics into everyday moments — even over a plate of snacks. After all, if we never forget to add ketchup to our samosas or rolls, why forget a heart check-up? It’s our playful nudge to say — love your snacks, but don’t skip the check-ups.”
“With ‘Check-up Sachets,’ we’ve shown that even the smallest packaging can deliver a message that sticks — and hopefully, gets people to take that first step toward a healthier heart.”, he added.
