Hellmann’s Mayonnaise has pulled off a nostalgic touchdown with its latest Super Bowl commercial, “When Sally Met Hellmann’s,” celebrating the 35th anniversary of When Harry Met Sally by recreating that iconic deli scene, but with a deliciously creamy upgrade.
In the spot, Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) are back at Katz’s Delicatessen, sitting at the very same table where cinematic history was made.
Sally, now donning Harry’s signature cable knit sweater, is unimpressed with her turkey sandwich—until she adds a hefty squeeze of Hellmann’s mayo. The result? A game-changing bite so flavourful that the entire deli takes notice, including none other than Sydney Sweeney, who steps in to deliver the famous line: “I’ll have what she’s having.”
“Reuniting with Billy and stepping back into Sally’s shoes was a joy,” said Ryan. “I’m hoping it’ll be fun for fans to revisit this scene with its (wink, wink) new star, Hellmann’s mayo.”
Billy Crystal was equally enthusiastic about the reunion. “The opportunity to return to Katz’s Deli with Meg was a no brainer. Thanks to Hellmann’s, who came up with the concept and wrote a really funny spot, we’re bringing some laughs and nostalgia and helping When Harry Met Sally celebrate its 35th Anniversary during the Big Game this year,” he said.
Directed by VML, the commercial stays true to the essence of the beloved film, with meticulous attention to details—including shooting at Katz’s Deli and placing Sydney Sweeney at the exact spot where the original line was delivered 35 years ago.
“Working with legends like Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal on this nostalgic and hilarious ad was such an honour,” said Sweeney. “When Harry Met Sally is a rom-com classic, and adding Hellmann’s to the scene was a perfect match, so it was an easy yes for this project. I can’t wait for everyone to see it during the Big Game!”
For Hellmann’s, this marks the fifth consecutive year of making game day delicious with humor-filled ads. “If you are going to show that Hellmann’s makes a sandwich better, you may as well start with the best sandwich scene in movie history. And honour it. Same intro, same camera angles, same famous deli,” said Susan Golkin, executive creative director at VML.
Jessica Grigoriou, SVP of marketing, condiments, Unilever North America, echoed the sentiment. “By paying homage to the classic deli moment from When Harry Met Sally, with a creative remake to show fans how the deliciously creamy flavor of Hellmann’s can make an ordinary sandwich extraordinarily mind-blowing, we were able to combine humor, nostalgia and the timeless appeal of Hellmann’s that will leave a lasting impression on fans just as the movie did 35 years ago.”
This ad caps off a season-long campaign of game day activations, from the viral launch of Will Levis’ mayo-inspired No.8 fragrance to the Mayotivations campaign and the introduction of Manny Mayo, the brand’s lovable new mascot.