Mayo Exchange
Creator PartnershipsHellmann's converted 62 UK currency bureaus into condiment exchange points where people swapped free ketchup sachets for Hellmann's mayo, reframing the brand as the premium condiment worth choosing.
About the campaign
Under pressure from cheaper private-label mayonnaise, Hellmann's needed to remind cost-conscious British consumers why its brand is worth paying for, and Edelman found the answer in a small but widely felt condiment injustice: UK fast food restaurants hand out ketchup in bulk for free while mayo sachets cost extra. Rather than run comparative advertising, the agency treated that unspoken inequality as a strategic opening, positioning Hellmann's as the superior condiment wrongly disadvantaged by fast food convention and inviting people to correct the imbalance themselves.
From 3 to 10 April 2025, Edelman converted 62 currency bureaus across the UK, in partnership with No1 Currency, Thomas Exchange Global and Currency Exchange Corporation, into condiment exchange points where unwanted free ketchup sachets became usable currency, tradeable for Hellmann's mayonnaise with no purchase required. Exchange rates varied by location, set using factors such as the concentration of nearby fast-food outlets and population density, a layer of specificity that reinforced the currency bureau conceit.
Local creators known for financial and satirical content produced skits and mock exchange market updates, while Hellmann's social channels traded quips with fast food chains and fans, extending the eight-day activation, which sat under the brand's global Bring Out the Best platform, in conversation. The work was entered at The One Show 2026 in the Experiential and Installations category; participation and reach figures were not disclosed.
Case in 60 seconds
Hellmann's faced pressure from cheaper private-label mayo brands and needed to reassert premium positioning against the backdrop of cost-conscious British consumers who routinely received ketchup free at fast food outlets while paying extra for mayonnaise.
Edelman identified a genuine British consumer grievance — an unspoken inequality in condiment culture where ketchup is given away in bulk for free while mayo costs extra — and treated it as a strategic opening rather than a category liability.
Position Hellmann's as the superior condiment wrongly disadvantaged by fast food convention, and invite people to correct the imbalance by trading their unwanted free ketchup sachets for Hellmann's mayonnaise at a dedicated condiment currency exchange.
Edelman converted 62 currency bureaus across the UK — in partnership with No1 Currency, Thomas Exchange Global, and Currency Exchange Corporation — into condiment exchange points from 3 to 10 April 2025. Exchange rates were set using location-based factors including concentration of fast-food options and population density. Local creators known for financial and satirical content produced skits and exchange market updates, while the brand's social channels engaged in witty exchanges with fast food chains and fans.
No quantified outcome metrics (reach, sales, or sentiment figures) were disclosed in the available sources. The activation was entered at The One Show 2026 in the Out of Home discipline, Experiential and Installations category, credited to Edelman / London for Unilever/Hellmann's. PRWeek referenced Edelman in coverage of the agency's 2025 Cannes Lions performance, though the full article was gated.
Strategy Breakdown
The primary strategy-learning section — interpretation, not a press-release summary.
Creative & Execution System
Assets & channels
- Physical currency bureau exchange points (62 locations nationwide)
- Branded exchange rate signage and materials at bureau sites
- Creator-produced social video content (skits, hot takes, exchange market updates)
- Brand social channels used for community management and reactive engagement with fast food chains
Partners
- No1 Currency
- Thomas Exchange Global
- Currency Exchange Corporation
Participation mechanic
- Consumers bring unwanted free ketchup sachets obtained from local fast food restaurants to a participating currency bureau
- Sachets are exchanged for Hellmann's mayonnaise sachets at a location-based exchange rate
- No purchase required — the ketchup sachets themselves function as the currency
Creator role
- Local content creators with financial and satirical audiences produced short-form video skits
- Creators provided 'exchange market updates' framing the activation as a live currency event
- Creator content extended the eight-day activation window in social conversation
Results & Evidence
| Metric | Value | Result type | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel more connected to Hellmann's | 64% | Brand lift | Agency reported |
| Uplift in belief Hellmann's is different to other condiments | +9pt | Brand lift | Agency reported |
| Say Hellmann's is the only brand they would buy | +27% | Brand lift | Agency reported |
| Brand favourability | 68% | Brand lift | Agency reported |
| Feel more loyal to Hellmann's | 65% | Brand love | Agency reported |
Awards & Recognition
| Award show | Year | Category | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The One Show | 2026 | Out of Home — Experiential and Installations | Entered | — |
Why Edelman's strategy worked
- 1
A narrow, specific everyday injustice can carry a brand value argument further than direct superiority claims. By naming the exact mechanism — free ketchup versus paid mayo — the campaign gave consumers a concrete grievance to identify with rather than an abstract brand promise to accept.
- 2
Pairing a stunt with an established third-party network lends operational credibility. Using real currency bureaus — No1 Currency, Thomas Exchange Global, and Currency Exchange Corporation — turned a marketing joke into a usable, findable experience, signalling genuine commitment to the idea.
- 3
Location-specific exchange rates (set using fast-food concentration and population density) added a layer of internal logic that rewarded attention and made press and creator coverage more interesting than a flat promotional offer.
- 4
Building the activation so creators and community management could sustain commentary kept a short, eight-day window alive in social conversation beyond what the physical footprint alone could achieve.
- 5
British dry humour and an underdog sensibility were used as cultural fit, not decoration — the tone matched the audience's self-image and gave the brand permission to be sardonic about fast food chains without appearing aggressive.
- 6
The work sat under an existing global platform ('Bring Out the Best') while delivering something specific enough to be genuinely talkable — showing how a local activation can reinforce a global brand idea without simply illustrating it.
Results
67K
Engagement
3M
Total reach