
Oh, yes, yes, mmm YES! Hellmann’s is bringing a dose of nostalgia to Super Bowl LIX with When Sally Met Hellmann’s, a commercial that reunites Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal 35 years after the release of When Harry Met Sally. The ad, which pays homage to the legendary Katz’s Delicatessen scene, features Ryan and Crystal reprising their beloved roles in a hilarious new take—with Hellmann’s mayonnaise as the star ingredient.
The 30-second spot finds Sally and Harry at Katz’s once again, celebrating their anniversary. When Sally takes a bite of her turkey sandwich, she’s unimpressed—until she adds a generous squeeze of Hellmann’s mayo, transforming her meal into a moment of pure bliss. Her reaction is so over-the-top that it grabs the attention of the entire deli, including actress Sydney Sweeney, who delivers the iconic line: “I’ll have what she’s having.” Watch below:
“Reuniting with Billy and stepping back into Sally’s shoes was a joy,” shared Meg Ryan. “I’m hoping fans will love revisiting this scene with its (wink, wink) new star, Hellmann’s mayo.”
Billy Crystal echoed the sentiment, calling the opportunity to return to Katz’s with Ryan a “no-brainer.” “Thanks to Hellmann’s, we’re bringing laughs, nostalgia, and a fresh twist to the Big Game while celebrating When Harry Met Sally’s 35th anniversary,” Crystal noted.
Created by VML, the commercial was shot on location at Katz’s Deli, with Ryan and Crystal sitting at the same table where they filmed the original scene. Sydney Sweeney, who delivers the famous line, also sits in the exact spot where it was spoken 35 years ago. “Working with legends like Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal was such an honor,” said Sweeney. “This is a rom-com classic, and adding Hellmann’s mayo to the scene was a perfect match. I can’t wait for everyone to see it during the Big Game!”
To celebrate the ad’s release, Hellmann’s is teaming up with Katz’s Deli to offer fans a taste of the moment with the ‘What She’s Having’ Sandwich Package. Available for a limited time, the package includes the ingredients and a recipe card to recreate Sally’s signature turkey sandwich (with Hellmann’s mayo, of course), along with Harry’s classic pastrami sandwich. Fans nationwide can order the kit at katzsdelicatessen.com for $120 (with free shipping), and deliveries will be scheduled just in time for Super Bowl Sunday on February 9.
Jessica Grigoriou, SVP of Marketing, Condiments at Unilever North America, emphasized the campaign’s goal of blending humor, nostalgia, and Hellmann’s signature flavor. “For our fifth year in the Big Game, we wanted to create something as iconic as the final game day of football season. This spot pays tribute to a classic film moment while showing how Hellmann’s can transform an ordinary sandwich into something extraordinary.”
Hellmann’s has been scoring big all season with a series of memorable campaigns, from the viral Will Levis No. 8 mayo-inspired fragrance launch to the Mayotivations campaign and the introduction of Manny Mayo, the brand’s quirky new mascot. The Super Bowl ad caps off a season of engaging marketing efforts that have kept Hellmann’s at the center of football culture.
Beyond game-day entertainment, Hellmann’s is using its platform to fight food waste. In partnership with the Food Recovery Network, the brand will help recover and redistribute surplus food from the Big Game in New Orleans to hunger-fighting organizations. This initiative follows Hellmann’s 2024 efforts, which resulted in 97,000 pounds of food being redirected to those in need.
Both the 30-second and extended 60-second versions of “When Sally Met Hellmann’s” are now available across Hellmann’s social media platforms and YouTube.
Super Bowl LIX airs on Fox on February 9th. For other Big Game coverage, click here.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Hellmann’s
AGENCY: VML
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Caviar
Director: Jake Szymanski
MEDIA AGENCY: Mindshare
PR: Edelman
SOCIAL: U-Studio
Influencer: Village Marketing
Talent: Burns Entertainment
CAST:
- Meg Ryan as Sally
- Billy Crystal as Harry
- Sydney Sweeney as herself
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