Hellmann's illusion campaign draws attention to ‘fridge blindness’

Mayonnaise brand Hellmann’s has unveiled a global campaign by Ogilvy UK that encourages people to make the most of their leftovers as they try to save money throughout the usually expensive Christmas period.

Inspired by the AI-driven ‘illusion diffusion’ trend on social channels, the global campaign aims to draw attention to ‘fridge blindness’. This describes when your fridge is full of ingredients but you are not able to see or imagine what meals to make. This playful campaign challenges the audience to figure out what recipes are hiding in plain sight, right before their eyes. The campaign also serves as inspiration of the wide range of dishes that Hellmann’s mayonnaise can be used to make, transforming leftovers into something delicious.

This campaign gives new momentum to Hellmann’s mission to 'Make Taste, Not Waste', in which it tackles the global problem of food waste. Hellmann’s has inspired more than 200 million people each year across the world to be more resourceful with their food. This work follows the innovative Smart Jar earlier this year, a specially designed jar of mayo that became a thermometer in people’s fridges, nudging them to set the right fridge temperature to keep food fresher for longer.

The campaign kicks off in Brazil and the US, before rolling out to Canada across social and OOH.

Juliana Paracencio, Global Creative Director at Ogilvy said: “Hellmann’s is the brand leading the change when it comes to helping people enjoy food and make it go further. The Fridge Blindness campaign triggers people to use up their food at a time of year when too much of it goes to waste. But the campaign is also brand mischief at its finest – driving awareness to an urgent issue with a reactive and playful idea.”

Christina Bauer-Plank, Global Brand Vice President, Hellmann’s at Unilever added: “Hellmann’s continues to do what it does best. Stay front of consumers’ minds through witty and playful campaigns, while also drawing attention to an important cause that the brand deeply cares about. The Fridge Blindness campaign speaks directly to our values. It brings to life the fact that there’s much more potential in our fridges than we think – especially during the expensive month of December when consumers try to make household budgets stretch as far as possible.”