Since its launch in 2023, Hellmann’s Garlic Aioli has struggled to stay alive. Without any product improvements on the horizon, we needed to find a novel way to breathe new life into the flavor by finding a way to connect with Gen-Z flavor cravers.
The campaign set out to make Garlic Aioli top of mind among Gen Z by showing up in the conversations and communities they care about most — earning attention through cultural fluency, not interruption. Success meant strengthening Hellmann’s image as a culturally sharp brand while moving beyond awareness to real consideration, especially among light or skeptical mayo users.
Ultimately, the goal was to transform curiosity into craving and cultural buzz into purchase intent, breathing new life into a flavor that deserved a second act.
To gain relevance with Gen Z, TikTok was a non-negotiable. Specifically, BookTok, one of the platform’s largest communities, with 71% of users under 30 and over-indexing for buying flavored condiments. BookTok is not a passive audience – it is a highly fluent fandom that rewards brands only when they demonstrate genuine cultural understanding.
Our social listening revealed the perfect pairing: vampire romantasy — specifically, the latest release in author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s ‘Blood and Ash’ series. Garlic’s long-standing association with warding off vampires offered a natural creative bridge between Hellmann’s Garlic Aioli and the Craven universe. Hellmann’s could turn this cultural truth into something tangible by giving BookTokers something they could really sink their teeth into.
We created the world’s first garlic-scented novel, partnering with Jennifer L. Armentrout to release a special-edition version of The Primal of Blood and Bone along with a special ‘Craven-Proof’ version of Garlic Aioli.
With a custom-designed cover incorporating garlic cloves, this collector’s item was printed with garlic-infused ink, playfully positioning Hellmann’s Garlic Aioli as something to protect readers from creatures of the night while they consumed this dangerously delicious novel. This unexpected, tactile execution transformed a familiar product truth – bold garlic flavor – into a positive narrative device that felt native to the fandom.
Coffin-shaped mailers, creator unboxings including character-themed garlic aioli recipes to be enjoyed by book clubs, and BookTok-native storytelling turned this activation into a social-first cultural artifact designed to be smelled, shared, and talked about. Deadly indeed.
Bestsmeller delivered measurable impact across culture, brand, and business – translating fandom participation into real-world results.
Sales Impact
• +22.5% sales velocity
• Unit sales increases up to 17.5% vs. 2024
• 39% growth in weekly dollar sales of Garlic Aioli within three weeks of launch
Earned Media
• 1.6B earned impressions – 150% of KPI
• 850+ earned placements – 340% of KPI
• 130+ broadcast segments
• 100% key message inclusion in coverage
• Global pickup across the U.S., Brazil, Canada, and the UK
Social
• 759K total views on owned content
• 804K views on talent content
• +549% average views per owned post vs. benchmark
• +1,613% average engagements per owned IG post vs. benchmark
• 1.4M+ UGC views and 270+ UGC posts across platforms
The campaign also contributed to The Primal of Blood and Bone reaching #2 on the New York Times Bestseller list, proving the power of culturally fluent brand participation to drive both fame and conversion.
