THE CHALLENGE

The UK eats more than 11 billion sandwiches every year, but Hellmann’s was missing from the nation’s favourite food occasion. Despite being the UK’s number one mayonnaise, only a small number of sandwiches contain Hellmann’s. The brand needed to change behaviour by strengthening the association between Hellmann’s and sandwiches, proving that they belong together in a way that felt credible, culturally relevant and earned, not simply claimed.

THE STRATEGY

Sandwiches are everywhere in British culture, but what makes a great one is often overlooked. Hellmann’s knew that to change behaviour, it couldn’t just claim superiority, it needed to earn legitimacy. The breakthrough came from a simple idea: if Hellmann’s could become officially associated with sandwiches, it could redefine its role in them. And the most credible place to do that was Sandwich, Kent, the town that gave the sandwich its name. We focused on everyday sandwich eaters and food culture audiences, using the world’s first sandwich as a culturally relevant proof point to engage the local community, creators and media. By turning origin into endorsement, Hellmann’s earned the title “Official Mayonnaise of Sandwich” and sparked a national conversation about its rightful place in the sandwich.

THE EXECUTION

Working with historians and a food expert, we recreated the world’s first sandwich from 1762, now with Hellmann’s. We seeded intrigue locally through community Facebook pages, Mayor-led announcements and OOH across Sandwich inviting people to “Take a Bite of History.” The Crispin Inn, a historic 15th-century pub, became the campaign home, hosting tastings, creators, press and an official sandwich-cutting ceremony with the Right Worshipful Mayor. The First Sandwich was added permanently to the pub’s menu. In recognition of the attention brought to the town, the Mayor and Town Council named Hellmann’s the “Official Mayonnaise of Sandwich.”

THE OUTCOME

Hellmann’s earned official recognition from Sandwich and national attention. The campaign generated 58.6M+ earned impressions, 88 earned social, online and broadcast stories, and over 1M organic creator views. It also shifted behaviour: 78% now associate Hellmann’s with sandwiches, 79% are more likely to add mayo to a sandwich and purchase intent rose +8 points to 79%.