Edelman’s London office has claimed its first Cannes Lion award of 2025 with a bronze win in the Outdoor Lions category for its innovative campaign on behalf of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. The "Mayo Exchange" initiative cleverly addressed a common frustration among UK mayo lovers, who often find themselves charged for mayonnaise while ketchup sachets are handed out freely. The campaign allowed consumers to swap their unwanted ketchup sachets for Hellmann’s mayo at over 60 currency exchange-style shops in various UK cities, creating a memorable and direct consumer engagement.
This campaign not only secured Edelman’s early success at the International Festival of Creativity but also exemplifies Hellmann’s ongoing push to embed itself into British food culture with inventive marketing approaches. Edelman’s creative work continues a tradition established by their previous award-winning initiatives for Hellmann’s. Notably, last year their "Mayo McHack" campaign, which encouraged customers to customise McDonald’s Mayo Chicken burgers with mayonnaise and fries, garnered two Silver Lions and dramatically boosted Hellmann’s social media engagement and purchase intent.
Hellmann’s marketing efforts extend beyond the UK. The mayonnaise brand is also gearing up for its fifth consecutive Super Bowl appearance in the United States with a 30-second commercial set to air during the 2025 Big Game. This campaign highlights Hellmann’s pivotal role in elevating game day dishes and builds on recent successful promotions like the 'Mayotivations' campaign and collaborations with NFL quarterback Will Levis. The partnership with Levis, who sparked attention for his unconventional addition of mayonnaise to coffee, evolved creatively into the launch of "Will Levis No. 8," the world’s first "parfum de mayonnaise." This humorous, high-concept marketing stunt featured a parody perfume ad and sold out rapidly, demonstrating the brand’s flair for blending food culture with unexpected advertising formats.
Hellmann’s dedication to standing out in a competitive condiment market is clear, as seen in other imaginative campaigns, such as encouraging individuals named Heinz—the name famously associated with ketchup—to legally change their surname to Hellmanns in protest. This bold move further cemented the brand’s commitment to playful consumer engagement while underlining its preference for mayonnaise over ketchup.
Edelman’s track record at Cannes is impressive, not just with Hellmann’s. Their previous global success includes the groundbreaking "The Move to Minus 15" campaign for DP World, which won a Titanium Lion last year for pioneering a temperature shift in frozen food shipping that could significantly cut energy use and carbon emissions industry-wide. This achievement marked a milestone as the first legacy PR firm to claim the prestigious Titanium Lion.
Meanwhile, other agencies are also making waves at Cannes. Golin London, for example, has secured multiple nominations for their "The Desk Break Clause" campaign for Asics across the Creative B2B Lions, Health and Wellness Lions, and PR Lions categories, showcasing the diversity and quality of work entering the festival.
As the International Festival of Creativity continues, Edelman’s win with Hellmann’s highlights both the enduring appeal and innovation within traditional brand categories. It also underscores the value of creative ideas that resonate with real consumer behaviors and cultural moments, whether through local exchanges or global sporting events. The festival is set to reveal more winners in the coming days, promising further insights into the evolving landscape of creativity in the communications industry.
📌 Reference Map:
- Paragraph 1 – [1]
- Paragraph 2 – [1], [7]
- Paragraph 3 – [2], [6], [5]
- Paragraph 4 – [3]
- Paragraph 5 – [4]
- Paragraph 6 – [1]
Source: Noah Wire Services