Hellmann's

Product brand

Hellmann's is Unilever's international mayonnaise and condiment brand, marketed in Australia through a local brand site and retail portfolio. A paired mayonnaise and condiment brand system using the Hellmann's name in many markets and Best Foods primarily in the western United States and parts of Asia-Pacific.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

Best Foods is an American food brand best known for mayonnaise. In the United States, it is principally used west of the Rocky Mountains, while the closely related Hellmann's name is used east of the Rockies. The two names refer to the same broad product family and are presented as sister brands with closely related visual identities, recipes, packaging, and marketing. Outside the United States, Best Foods is also used in several Asia-Pacific markets, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The brand's history is tied to the development of the American packaged-food industry and to the consolidation of several regional mayonnaise businesses. Hellmann's began in New York in the early twentieth century, while the Best Foods business developed separately on the other side of the United States. Both names established strong regional followings. When the businesses were brought together, the owner retained both names rather than replacing one with the other. This decision reflected the brands' entrenched geographic identities and consumer recognition. The Best Foods identity is therefore not simply a separate recipe or an independent company. It is the western-American expression of a transregional mayonnaise and condiment business. Product categories associated with the brand include mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, sauces, salad dressings, and other condiments. Mayonnaise remains the flagship offering and the main source of consumer recognition. The two brands have generally been marketed in parallel. Their logos, websites, packaging conventions, and advertising themes have been designed to resemble one another. Both use the slogan "Bring out the best." Since the late 1960s, the Best Foods identity has also incorporated the blue-ribbon design associated with Hellmann's, and by 2007 the two brands had adopted the same basic design system. In the United States, national or regional campaigns may require separate versions of otherwise similar advertising because the brand name changes according to the broadcast region. The corporate history passed through several owners. Best Foods was associated with CPC International, which was renamed Bestfoods in 1997 after separating its corn-refining activities into a new company. Unilever acquired Bestfoods in 2000. Under Unilever, Best Foods and Hellmann's have continued as related names within the company's condiment portfolio. The brand remains active, with its principal distinction being geographic naming rather than a wholly separate corporate or product platform.

History

Hellmann's developed from a New York delicatessen operated by Richard and Margaret Hellmann. Richard Hellmann, an immigrant from Germany, sold mayonnaise prepared from the delicatessen's recipe. Packaged retail sales began in 1913, and the product's blue-ribbon visual mark helped distinguish it from competing mayonnaise. The brand's early growth reflected the wider shift from locally prepared foods to standardized packaged groceries in the United States. As distribution expanded, Hellmann's became especially strong in the northeastern United States and Canada. The business later became connected with Best Foods, whose mayonnaise had a stronger presence in other parts of the United States. The Hellmann's and Best Foods identities were retained in different territories rather than being fully replaced by one name. This created a long-standing dual-brand structure: Hellmann's is the dominant name in the eastern United States, Canada and many international markets, while Best Foods is used in much of the western United States. Unilever acquired Bestfoods in 2000. The transaction brought Hellmann's and Best Foods into Unilever's international foods portfolio and gave the brand access to the parent company's manufacturing, research, distribution and marketing capabilities. Subsequent product development broadened the range beyond standard mayonnaise. Regional portfolios have included light products, flavored varieties, dressings, sauces, vegan alternatives and foodservice packs. Brand communication has consistently relied on the idea that mayonnaise can play multiple culinary roles. Rather than limiting usage to sandwiches, Hellmann's has promoted recipes for salads, dips, cooked meals and ways to use food left in the refrigerator. A campaign using iBeacon technology and the Epicurious app sought to provide recipe inspiration near grocery-store decision points, illustrating the brand's effort to connect advertising with meal planning and purchase occasions. During the 2010s and 2020s, Hellmann's increasingly used social data, influencers, entertainment properties and participatory digital formats. In 2015 it turned favorable consumer comments into advertising. Other initiatives invited audiences to share food creations or treated mayonnaise as a subject for cultural humor. A sandwich-emoji petition used influencers and social conversation to argue that the sandwich icon should depict mayonnaise. The brand also used sustainability communication, particularly around reducing household food waste, as a way to give its staple product a broader everyday purpose. Recent campaigns have emphasized spectacle and recognizable cultural references. The 2024 Will Levis No. 8 fragrance was a limited promotional object rather than a conventional permanent product line. The 2024 Canadian Imitation Jar campaign used competitor-like labels to highlight Hellmann's visual and taste distinctiveness. In 2025, the brand's Super Bowl creative returned to the When Harry Met Sally deli scene, pairing nostalgia with a product demonstration. Roku and Walmart then extended the advertisement with interactive, shoppable recipe placements. These activities show how Hellmann's has moved from conventional condiment advertising toward a blend of heritage branding, entertainment, social participation and commerce.

2025
When Harry Met Sally Super Bowl campaign
[4]Hellmann's Takes Harry and Sally Back to Katz's Deli for Super Bowl Adadweek.com
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reprised their film characters in a Hellmann's Super Bowl advertisement centered on a mayonnaise-enhanced sandwich.
2025
Bring Out the Best is revived
[13]Hellmann's: Bring Out the Best Returns With Comedic Twistcreative.salon
Hellmann's brought back its historic advertising line with new comedic work from Ogilvy UK and DAVID Madrid.
2025
When Sally Met Hellmann's
[27]Hellmann's Big Game commercial press releaseprnewswire.com
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal appeared in a Hellmann's Big Game commercial inspired by When Harry Met Sally, supported by a Katz's Delicatessen sandwich activation.
2024
Will Levis No. 8 fragrance activation
[32]Will Levis No. 8 fragrance activationmarketingdive.com
Hellmann's introduced a limited mayonnaise-themed fragrance with Will Levis as a humorous extension of the brand's sports and social marketing.
2024
The Imitation Jar campaign
[9]The Imitation Jaradsoftheworld.com
Ogilvy Canada created an outdoor campaign using competitor-style visual labels to make a humorous point about Hellmann's recognizability and taste.
2024
Mayo Cat Big Game campaign
[28]Adweek report on Hellmann's Mayo Cat advertisementadweek.com
Hellmann's used a humorous advertisement featuring Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, and Mayo Cat to continue its food-waste platform during the Big Game.
2023
Hellmann's is discontinued in South Africa
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
The Hellmann's brand ceased to be sold in South Africa on February 1.
2017
Visual identity and positioning refresh
[11]Hellmann's aims to look authentic and natural as it introduces new brand identity and positioningthedrum.com
The brand introduced updated packaging, retained its blue ribbon and promoted a more authentic, natural and deli-inspired positioning across its mayonnaise range.
2015
Consumer comments become campaign creative
[7]Hellmann's uses consumer feedback from social in £4m campaignmarketingweek.com
Hellmann's used favorable social-media comments in a reported £4 million integrated campaign designed to increase advocacy and attract new consumers.
2007
The visual identities are brought into closer alignment
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
Hellmann's and Best Foods adopted essentially the same design system while retaining their regional names.
2000
Unilever acquires Bestfoods
[2]Bestfoodsen.wikipedia.org
Unilever's acquisition of Bestfoods brought the Hellmann's and Best Foods mayonnaise businesses into Unilever's global foods portfolio.
1997
CPC International becomes Bestfoods
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
CPC International adopted the Bestfoods name and separated its corn-refining operation into a new company.
1968
Best Foods adopts the blue-ribbon element
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
Best Foods incorporated the blue ribbon associated with Hellmann's, reinforcing the relationship between the two brands.
1961
Hellmann's launches in the United Kingdom
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
The Hellmann's name entered the United Kingdom and later became a leading mayonnaise brand there.
1931
Hellmann's and Best Foods are combined under common ownership
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
The Hellmann business was merged with the pre-existing Best Foods operation, while both regional names were retained.
1927
Postum Foods acquires Richard Hellmann, Inc.
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
Postum Foods purchased the Hellmann business, enabling Richard Hellmann to retire.
1922
Expansion into Canada begins
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
Hellmann's mayonnaise was introduced in Toronto while the company planned larger production facilities.
1916
Richard Hellmann, Inc. is incorporated
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
The mayonnaise business was formally incorporated and began focusing on distribution beyond the New York market.
1914
The blue-ribbon mark is simplified and trademarked
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
The label changed from three ribbons to one, and the blue-ribbon identity and product name were trademarked.
1913
Packaged retail mayonnaise begins
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
Richard Hellmann's mayonnaise began being sold as a packaged retail product associated with the New York delicatessen business operated by Richard and Margaret Hellmann.
1913
Richard Hellmann begins the brand's documented heritage
[10]Hellmann's Marketing Strategies: A Deep Divethebrandhopper.com
The brand's history is associated with Richard Hellmann's New York delicatessen, where mayonnaise was sold and the blue-ribbon quality identity began to emerge.
1913
Hellmann's Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise enters factory production
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
Hellmann began large-scale production and launched the product under the Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise name.
1913
Hellmann's origins in New York
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
The Hellmann family business in New York became associated with commercially produced mayonnaise, establishing the foundation of the brand.
1905
Richard Hellmann opens a New York delicatessen
[1]Hellmann's and Best Foodsen.wikipedia.org
Richard Reinhold Hellmann opened a delicatessen on Columbus Avenue in New York City and began preparing mayonnaise for customers.
Expansion of purpose-led food-waste marketing
[17]Hellmanns Marketing Strategy 2026: A Case Studythebigmarketing.com
Hellmann's used recipes, digital content and consumer participation to encourage creative use of leftovers and reduce avoidable food waste.
Hellmann's Austria maintains a dedicated Austrian web presence
[22]Hellmann's Austria official websitehellmanns.at
The brand operates an Austrian-language market website at hellmanns.at, providing local consumer information and recipe or product-related content. A launch year was not established in the supplied material.
Hellmann's expands purpose-led food-waste communications
[17]Hellmanns Marketing Strategy 2026: A Case Studythebigmarketing.com
International brand communications increasingly connected mayonnaise and meal inspiration with using ingredients already available at home and reducing avoidable food waste.
Expansion into a broader condiment portfolio
[29]Hellmann's France official websitehellmanns.fr
Over subsequent decades, Hellmann's expanded beyond traditional mayonnaise into lighter formulations, flavored products, dressings and other sauces, with the exact range varying by market.
Development under Unilever ownership
[30]Unilever brand profile: Hellmann'sunilever.com
The brand became part of Unilever's international foods portfolio and continued to be managed through market-specific product and marketing programs.

Products and positioning

A trusted, mainstream mayonnaise brand positioned around rich taste, recognizable heritage and versatility in sandwiches, salads, dips and cooked recipes. In recent marketing, it has also emphasized food-waste reduction, plant-based choices and participation in popular culture. Mainstream to premium mass-market condiment brand associated with quality, recognizable ingredients, culinary versatility and regional brand heritage. An internationally recognized, everyday mayonnaise and condiments brand positioned around versatility, taste and practical meal inspiration, with sustainability communications that often emphasize reducing food waste. An accessible, mainstream condiment brand centered on mayonnaise, everyday meal versatility and recognizable taste, with local French offerings determined by Unilever's market portfolio.

Mayonnaise · 1913
Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise
The brand's core mayonnaise offering, sold in jars, squeeze formats and foodservice packs depending on market. It is used as a sandwich spread, salad ingredient, dip base and cooking ingredient. Exact recipe, pack size and labeling can differ by country. The brand's principal mayonnaise offering and its clearest expression of Hellmann's core proposition. It is used as a spread, dip or recipe ingredient for sandwiches, salads, side dishes and other everyday meals. Packaging and exact formulation can vary by market, so the UAE assortment should be checked against the current local website or retailer listings. The brand's central offering and principal identity anchor. It is positioned as a creamy mayonnaise for everyday household use, especially sandwiches, salads, burgers, prepared meals and dipping. Exact recipes, pack sizes, ingredients and claims vary by market, so Australian specifications should be verified on the local packaging or website. The signature Hellmann's mayonnaise line, historically associated with the blue-ribbon label and sold under the Hellmann's name in the eastern United States and many international markets. Formulations can vary by country; the United Kingdom version, for example, uses rapeseed oil rather than soybean oil. The core Hellmann's offering is mayonnaise, used as a spread, salad ingredient, dip base, sandwich component, and cooking ingredient. The exact recipe, egg specification, pack format, and retail availability may vary by market, so Austrian-specific characteristics should be confirmed from current local packaging or the official Austrian product pages. The brand's core offering and best-known product family. Hellmann's mayonnaise is used as a table condiment and as an ingredient in sandwiches, salads, burgers, dips and prepared meals. The supplied material does not establish the complete Swiss range, pack sizes, recipes or local launch dates. The brand's core product category, used as a spread, dressing, dipping sauce, and cooking ingredient. Hellmann's marketing presents mayonnaise as suitable for a broad range of meals and leftover transformations, rather than only as an accompaniment for sandwiches. The brand's core product category and principal consumer association. Hellmann's mayonnaise is used as a spread, salad ingredient, sandwich component and base for sauces. Exact recipe, nutrition profile, pack sizes and available variants depend on the country; French availability should be verified through the local website or retail packaging. The core product category associated with Hellmann's in Germany. It is positioned as a branded mayonnaise for ordinary household meal preparation and condiment use. The supplied material does not identify specific German variants, pack sizes, ingredients, launch dates, or current availability.
Reduced-fat mayonnaise
Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise
A reduced-fat alternative to the standard product, developed for consumers seeking a lighter mayonnaise while retaining the brand's familiar condiment role. Availability and nutritional formulation vary by market. A lower-fat mayonnaise variant within the wider Hellmann's portfolio. A 2017 brand refresh reference described a revised Light Mayonnaise recipe as free from artificial flavors, colors and preservatives in the market discussed by that source. Availability and formulation in the United Arab Emirates are not confirmed by the supplied material.
Plant-based mayonnaise
Hellmann's vegan mayonnaise alternatives
A mayonnaise-style spread made without traditional egg ingredients. It extends the brand into plant-based eating and is marketed for sandwiches, salads, dips and recipes where conventional mayonnaise is used. The wider Hellmann's portfolio has included vegan or plant-based mayonnaise alternatives for consumers avoiding eggs or seeking plant-based products. Availability and formulation differ by country; the supplied sources do not establish whether a particular vegan SKU is currently sold in Austria.
Dressings and condiment sauces
Hellmann's Dressings and Sauces
A broader range of salad dressings, flavored mayonnaise products and sauces sold under the Hellmann's name in selected markets. These products build on the brand's mayonnaise base while targeting dipping, salad and meal-preparation occasions. The brand's sauce range complements mayonnaise and supports broader meal occasions. Depending on the market, this can include sauces designed for sandwiches, sides and recipe use. Specific products sold in the UAE are not confirmed in the supplied references. Adjacent condiment products broaden the brand beyond plain mayonnaise into dressings, dipping sauces and meal-topping formats. These products support the brand's strategy of expanding usage across salads, grilled foods, snacks and varied cuisines. Beyond mayonnaise, Hellmann's has used its brand in dressings, flavored sauces, and other condiment formats. These products extend the brand into salads, burgers, fries, snacks, and home meal preparation. No complete Austrian product list was provided, so this entry records the category rather than asserting specific local SKUs. A broader group of products that extends the brand beyond mayonnaise into salad dressings, cooking applications, dips and other condiment occasions. The exact products available in Switzerland are not confirmed by the supplied references, so this entry describes the known global category scope rather than a definitive Swiss assortment. Adjacent dressing and sauce products extend the brand beyond standard mayonnaise into meal accompaniment and recipe applications. Exact products and availability vary by country, and the supplied material does not establish the current Colombian assortment. The broader Hellmann's portfolio can include salad dressings and table or cooking sauces. These products support usage occasions beyond spreading mayonnaise, including salads, burgers, sandwiches, dipping and recipe preparation. Product names and distribution differ by market. Dressings are included as an adjacent condiment category in the existing brand description. No market-specific catalogue or product-level source was supplied, so the precise German assortment and availability remain unverified.
Promotional fragrance · 2024
Will Levis No. 8
A limited promotional fragrance created with football player Will Levis. Presented as a parody of luxury perfume advertising, it was designed as a campaign object and was not established as a regular Hellmann's condiment line.
Salad dressings
Hellmann's Salad Dressings
Dressings extend the brand beyond jarred mayonnaise into products intended for salads and prepared dishes. The supplied sources identify salad dressings as part of Hellmann's typical range but do not establish the exact UAE variants, pack sizes or current retail distribution.
Flavoured mayonnaise
Hellmann's Flavoured Mayonnaise
Flavoured or seasoned mayonnaise variants extend the core product into stronger taste profiles and convenient meal accompaniment. Availability is market-dependent and may include limited or locally tailored varieties.
Mayonnaise
Best Foods Mayonnaise
The sister mayonnaise brand used primarily west of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and in selected East Asian, Southeast Asian, Australian and New Zealand markets. It shares the broader visual and marketing system of Hellmann's and is presented as the regional counterpart of the Hellmann's product.
Sauces and condiments
Hellmann's and Best Foods Condiments
The wider portfolio includes ketchup, mustard, sauces, salad dressings and other condiment products. Availability and naming vary by country, while mayonnaise remains the brands' central and most recognizable offering.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise
The brand's defining product category. Hellmann's mayonnaise is positioned for both direct serving and use as a versatile ingredient in sandwiches, salads, burgers, dips and cooked or prepared dishes. Specific Belgian varieties, pack sizes and ingredient claims are not identified in the supplied references.
Sauces and condiments
Condiment and cooking sauces
The wider Hellmann's proposition includes sauces and condiment products associated with meal accompaniment, dipping and recipe preparation. The exact assortment differs by market, and the supplied material does not establish a verified list of Belgian sub-lines or launch dates.
Reduced-fat mayonnaise
Hellmann's lighter mayonnaise variants
Hellmann's has marketed lighter or reduced-fat mayonnaise variants in some national portfolios. These products are intended to provide a lower-fat alternative while retaining the brand's familiar condiment role. The supplied material does not confirm the current Austrian assortment or a local launch date.
Flavored mayonnaise
Hellmann's Flavored Mayonnaise
Flavored mayonnaise products extend the core proposition with additional seasoning or flavor profiles intended for sandwiches, burgers, dipping and meal preparation. Hellmann's has introduced different variants across markets, so this category describes the international brand architecture rather than guaranteeing a specific French SKU.
Condiment sauces
Hellmann's condiment sauces
A broader category of sauces associated with the Hellmann's German brand presence alongside mayonnaise. The available evidence does not specify the individual sauce names, formulations, packaging formats, or launch chronology, so this entry records the category without attributing unverified variants to the German portfolio.

Marketing campaigns

2026Mayo for a Melody
United States
Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab collaborated with Hellmann's on a 70-second interactive karaoke experience for Fire TV and Amazon.com. The activation used sing-along mechanics, stylized food imagery and retail integration to connect participation with purchase consideration.
Outcome. The campaign was designed to measure participation, engagement and conversion from engagement to purchase; final performance figures are not supplied.
Source
2025What She's Having
United States
For its Super Bowl advertising, Hellmann's recreated the Katz's Deli scene from When Harry Met Sally with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, adding Sydney Sweeney and a sandwich-centered product moment. Creators, TikTok and Pinterest interactions, and a Katz's Deli sandwich package extended the idea.
Outcome. The campaign was extended through Roku and Walmart shoppable connected-TV placements that let viewers explore the turkey sandwich recipe and purchase ingredients.
Source
2025Bring Out the Best
United States · United Kingdom · International
Hellmann's revived its historic Bring Out the Best platform with humorous films including Sticky Varnish and Vibrations. The campaign presented mayonnaise as a way to improve meals while using deliberately unusual comedy to reach both established fans and younger consumers. A refreshed version of Hellmann's classic advertising line used comedy and short films to show how the mayonnaise improves ordinary food moments. Reported executions included television, social, digital and commerce media.
Outcome. The supplied source describes the campaign launch but does not report verified commercial results. The work aimed to modernize a longstanding brand platform while keeping taste and everyday food enjoyment at its center.
Source
2025Las Vegas mascot wedding
United States
In July 2025, the Hellmann's mascot participated in a Las Vegas promotional wedding ceremony.
Outcome. Created a publicity-oriented brand activation centered on the mascot.
Source
2025When Sally Met Hellmann's
United States
A Big Game commercial reunited Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in a nostalgic recreation inspired by When Harry Met Sally, linking the product to a turkey sandwich and a Katz's Delicatessen partnership.
Outcome. Hellmann's and Katz's Deli offered a related sandwich package for consumers, extending the advertisement into a retail and food experience.
Source
2024The Imitation Jar
Canada
The creative presented a Hellmann's jar covered with competitor-style labels, using visual imitation to emphasize the brand's distinctive identity and claim a singular place in the mayonnaise category. Ogilvy Canada created an outdoor execution showing a jar covered with competitor-style labels. The deliberately confusing visual was intended to dramatize the number of lookalike mayonnaise products while asserting Hellmann's taste and iconic status.
Outcome. The work was published as a Canadian outdoor campaign; a verified commercial result is not stated in the supplied material. The campaign generated trade and creative-industry attention; a quantified commercial outcome is not available in the supplied material. The supplied creative listing documents the concept but gives no verified sales or Austrian-market outcome.
Source
2024Will Levis No. 8
United States
Hellmann's turned Will Levis's association with mayonnaise into a spoof luxury-fragrance launch. The work included a hero film, social edits, out-of-home advertising and small bottles of the promotional scent.
Outcome. The limited bottles reportedly sold out on the campaign microsite; the supplied source does not provide independently verified sales figures.
Source
2024Make Taste, Not Waste: Mayo Cat
United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Brazil · Other markets
A purpose-led platform encouraged consumers to turn leftovers and surplus ingredients into appealing meals, often using recipes and social participation to connect food-waste reduction with everyday cooking. Hellmann's used a Big Game commercial starring Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, and Mayo Cat to encourage consumers to make creative use of leftovers. Hellmann's has used the Make Taste, Not Waste platform to connect its condiments with practical ideas for transforming leftovers and reducing household food waste.
Outcome. The initiative strengthened Hellmann's association with practical cooking and food-waste reduction; a specific Australia-only outcome is not established in the supplied sources. The campaign continued Hellmann's recurring Big Game presence for its food-waste message. The platform broadened the brand's role from a mayonnaise provider to a source of recipe and meal-planning inspiration. The precise French execution and campaign dates vary by market.
Source
2024Hellmann's Super Bowl food-waste campaign
United States
Hellmann's fourth Super Bowl advertising effort continued the brand's food-waste platform. The creative featured Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson and a cat character presented as “Mayo Cat,” combining celebrity comedy with the message that consumers can find useful ways to avoid wasting food.
Outcome. The source reports the campaign as part of Hellmann's phased Big Game marketing approach and notes a charitable donation, but does not provide a quantified business result.
Source
2022Super Bowl and Feeding America communications
United States
Hellmann's used Super Bowl advertising to connect the mayonnaise brand with Unilever's involvement with Feeding America and anti-hunger messaging.
Outcome. Extended the brand platform beyond product promotion into social-impact communication.
Source

Showing the 10 most recent.

Brand decisions

2025
Extend Super Bowl advertising into shoppable commerceStrategy
Background
Hellmann's sought to prolong the reach of its entertainment-led Super Bowl campaign beyond the television spot.
Action taken
The brand partnered with Roku and Walmart on interactive recipe advertising that connected the commercial's turkey sandwich with grocery purchasing.
Aftermath
The activation represented an expansion from awareness advertising into connected-TV commerce; no verified sales result is provided.
Source
2025
Reintroduction of Bring Out the BestStrategy
Background
Hellmann's sought to combine a recognizable heritage platform with a more contemporary and comedic tone.
Action taken
The brand reinstated Bring Out the Best in new television, social, digital and commerce executions created by Ogilvy UK with DAVID Madrid.
Aftermath
The campaign was positioned as a bridge between longtime brand users and younger audiences; no verified performance data is supplied.
Source
2023
Discontinue Hellmann's in South AfricaStrategy
Background
The brand's market availability differs by country and is subject to local portfolio decisions.
Action taken
Hellmann's products were discontinued in South Africa on February 1, 2023.
Aftermath
The brand remained active in other international markets, but no longer operated under the Hellmann's name in South Africa.
Source
2017
Shift toward authenticity and natural product cuesStrategy
Background
Hellmann's cited growing consumer interest in authentic and natural food offerings as a reason to revise its visual identity, packaging and positioning.
Action taken
The brand introduced updated packaging, retained its blue ribbon and promoted a revised Light Mayonnaise recipe in the market covered by the source.
Aftermath
The change was presented as a broader brand transformation rather than a one-off packaging update. No independently verified financial impact is provided.
Source
2017
Move away from gender-based audience segmentationStrategy
Background
Hellmann's said its research and wider food-culture trends supported a more meaningful focus on taste, culinary engagement and how people experience food.
Action taken
The brand shifted communications across 24 international markets away from gender as a primary segmentation framework and toward food culture and culinary capability.
Aftermath
The decision aligned with Unilever's broader effort to reduce stereotyping in advertising. Specific market or sales results are not reported in the supplied material.
Source
2007
Standardize the brand design systemStrategy
Background
Hellmann's and Best Foods needed to communicate their relationship while preserving the established regional naming system.
Action taken
The two brands adopted essentially the same logo and package design.
Aftermath
The shared identity reinforced the idea that Best Foods is the western regional name for a closely related product.
Source
2000
Hellmann's enters Unilever's foods portfolioM&A
Background
Unilever acquired Bestfoods, the corporate business associated with the Hellmann's and Best Foods mayonnaise operations.
Action taken
Unilever completed the acquisition and retained the established regional Hellmann's and Best Foods brand identities.
Aftermath
The brand gained access to Unilever's international distribution and product-development infrastructure.
Source
2000
Unilever acquires BestfoodsM&A
Background
Bestfoods owned the Hellmann's and Best Foods mayonnaise businesses and a broader packaged-food portfolio.
Action taken
Unilever acquired Bestfoods and assumed ownership of both brands.
Aftermath
The brands became part of Unilever's international foods business and continued operating under their market-specific names.
Source
1968
Align Best Foods with Hellmann's visual identityStrategy
Background
The two brands were already being marketed together but retained distinct regional identities.
Action taken
Best Foods added the blue-ribbon design element associated with Hellmann's.
Aftermath
The brands became more visibly related while continuing to use separate names.
Source
1931
Retain separate regional brand namesStrategy
Background
After Hellmann's and Best Foods came under common ownership, both names had strong recognition in different halves of the United States.
Action taken
The company preserved Hellmann's east of the Rocky Mountains and Best Foods west of the Rocky Mountains rather than consolidating them into one national name.
Aftermath
The regional naming arrangement became a defining feature of the portfolio and remains in use in the United States.
Source

Showing the 10 most recent.

Recent events

2021.10.14
Reported2021.10.14
Hellmann's launches Fridge Hunters campaign with José Andrés[35]Hellmann's携手José Andrés推出Fridge Hunters活动prnewswire.com
Hellmann's launched Fridge Hunters, a campaign encouraging people to make meals with food in their refrigerators that they might otherwise throw away. The campaign featured chef José Andrés and included recipes and a sweepstakes for virtual fridge-hunting sessions.
2020.12.11
Reported2020.12.11
Hellmann’s launches Animal Crossing fundraising activation[36]Hellmann’s推出《集合啦！动物森友会》募款活动thegrocer.co.uk
Hellmann’s teamed up with Animal Crossing on an in-game island activation to raise money for FareShare. For each virtual spoiled turnip donated, Hellmann’s owner Unilever will donate an amount equivalent to two meals.
2020.02.05
Reported2020.02.05
Hellmann’s Canada announces recycled-plastic packaging commitment[37]Hellmann’s Canada 宣布再生塑料包装承诺newswire.ca
Hellmann’s announced that all of its mayonnaise jars and bottles in Canada would be made with 100 per cent recycled plastic by March 2020; the change was projected to save one million kilograms of virgin plastic that year.

Sources37 sources

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