Hellmann’s and creative agency Ogilvy have embraced Barbie-mania with a tongue-in-cheek visual gag encouraging fans to ‘throw a shrimp’ on the BBQ this summer.
Showcased in both Australia and the UK, the Unilever-owned brand’s campaign is running across national print, social platforms and on over 400 digital out-of-homes (DOOH).
The clever creative features a Barbie-esque doll with a shrimp on its head; a play on words of the well-known Australian phrase, ‘throw another shrimp on the Barbie’. The only text on the ad is tucked away alongside a small image of the product itself and reads simply ‘Better with Hellmann’s’.
“As a major household brand, we love engaging with our customers during moments that matter,” said Unilever Hellmann’s global brand vice president, Christina Bauer-Plank.
Hellmann’s attention-grabbing activations allow consumers to put ‘two-and-two together’ and are tactically located where there are significant Australian communities, such as Clapham in London, as well as outside numerous cinema sites.
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“Not only does our cheeky campaign bring us into conversations about a key cultural moment across both nations, but it also provides a nice natural link for us to remind consumers that our mayonnaise is the perfect partner to complete their barbeques this summer,” Bauer-Plank added.
The timing of Hellmann’s campaign aligns with Mattel’s successful collaboration with over 100 brands to promote the Warner Bros’ film, Barbie the Movie, released recently.
Ogilvy global creative director, Juliana Paracencio, highlighted that major pop culture events present an excellent opportunity to deliver relevant and memorable content.
“So there couldn’t have been a more perfect time for us to talk about barbeques. We wanted to give people a playful but topical ad to help them make the natural connection between Hellmann’s and BBQs in a way that lasts in the consumers’ mind and drives talkability,” she added.
The creative follows similar clever campaigns previously launched by Hellmann’s and Ogilvy, including releasing Smart Jars, which told consumers when their fridge was the right temperature.
