Dive Brief:

• Hellmann’s is empowering consumers to dip their french fries in mayonnaise instead of ketchup with a campaign that turns ketchup packets into currency, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
• “Ketchup Currency” includes a microsite where consumers can use the cameras on their mobile devices to scan their spare ketchup packets. The site uses machine learning to count the packets and generate a $1 off or $2 off coupon that can be used on Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.
• The site will also recognize “secret rare” ketchup packets, which will win consumers free mayo for a year. Rounding out the effort are influencer activations and out-of-home (OOH) ads in Chicago that will feature a QR code directing consumers to KetchupCurrency.com.

Dive Insight:

Hellmann’s is advocating for those who prefer their fries with mayo but might not be ready to make their feelings known. “Ketchup Currency” is informed by research indicating that one third of Americans prefer putting mayo on their fries but feel self-conscious doing so in front of others.

Key to the effort is a casino-inspired microsite that encourages consumers to empty out their drawers of leftover ketchup packets in exchange for a coupon that can be used on Hellmann’s products, including its mayo. The site uses multimodal machine learning to detect and count ketchup packets, and a large language model (LLM) interprets the results, per release details. Consumers can score a $1 off coupon for 1-9 packets, or a $2 off coupon for 10 or more.

An additional step leverages optical character recognition to confirm rare packets of ketchup that will grant consumers free mayo for a year. The activation is live now through May 25. The campaign was handled by creative agency VML, public relations agency Edelman, media agency WPP Unite and influencer marketing agency Village Marketing.

Along with the microsite, Hellmann’s in April will activate OOH billboards across Chicago near locations where consumers are likely to end up with extra ketchup packets, like hot dog stands and sports stadiums. Each ad will suggest a better way for consumers to use their ketchup packets and feature a QR code directing them to the microsite. The brand will also spread its message with influencers including Ash Loves Condiments and Hayderz.

Hellmann’s has often riffed on mayo love in its marketing, including through its recent Super Bowl appearance that recreated the iconic deli scene from “When Harry Met Sally” that included a cameo from the Unilever brand. In another instance, the brand teamed with quarterback Will Levis for the world’s first “parfum de mayonnaise.” Hellmann’s also launched a “Save our Sandwiches” push last year that allowed consumers to “adopt” a mayo-filled sandwich.

Parent Unilever has similarly looked to boost the profile of the mayo brand with the introduction of new flavors like Chipotle and Garlic Aioli that are meant to attract millennial and Gen Z consumers, who use less of the condiment but are more attracted to new varieties. Unilever saw full-year underlying sales grow 4.2% in 2024. Underlying sales for its foods category grew 2.6% for the year, with Hellmann’s growing ahead of the category’s average, per the company.