
Learn how the creator economy is transforming the marketing landscape, and how to cultivate partnerships to grow engaged communities at Social Media Week: The Creatorverse, May 16–18 in NY. Register now to secure your early bird pass.
After teasing a food waste-related spot with Brie Larson and Jon Hamm, Hellmann’s revealed a plot twist with its full Super Bowl ad this morning—the two actors are stuck inside comedian Pete Davidson’s fridge.
After taking stock of his leftovers, the former Saturday Night Live cast member uses the actors-as-ingredients to make a ham and cheese panini, moistened with Hellmann’s mayonnaise.
This is Hellmann’s third consecutive Big Game appearance, all of which have been part of its “Make Taste, Not Waste” campaign against food waste. Davidson also appeared in last year’s ad, surviving a brutal tackle by football player Jerod Mayo.
In 2020, Amy Schumer played the role of “Fairy Godmayo,” in which she magically turned a mishmash of leftovers into a spread of Big Game-worthy snacks using a magic wand, fairy wings and, of course, Hellmann’s. That ad marked the brand’s first appearance in the Super Bowl and kicked off “Make Taste, Not Waste.”
This year’s punny spot, which will air in the second quarter, expands its cast of A-listers with Hamm and Larson. The recipe for Davidson’s ham and cheese panini is one that Hellmann’s offers on its website as inspiration to curb household food waste.
“During a top cultural moment like the Big Game when millions of people are tuned in, Hellmann’s has an opportunity and responsibility to raise awareness about the issue of food waste and show people how they can do more with what’s in their fridge,” Ben Crook, vp and general manager of dressings and condiments at Unilever, said in a statement.
“Partnering with Jon Hamm and Brie Larson to bring this message to life in our spot, we hope we will capture people’s attention, encourage them to think differently about food and inspire impactful behavior changes,” Crook added.
For Hellmann’s, the issue of food waste is an economical one—a particularly prescient message amid inflationary pressures and cost-of-living concerns—in addition to a social issue and climate-related concern.
Americans throw away roughly 40 million tons of food each year. That’s more than any other country, and accounts for 30-40% of the overall U.S. food supply, according to a study by waste management company Recycle Track Systems. At the same time, 34 million people in the U.S. are food insecure, according to nonprofit Feeding America.
Wasted food also means that all the power that went into creating it—which generates carbon emissions at each turn—is also wasted. Then, when food waste ends up rotting in landfill, it creates methane—a greenhouse gas that has more than 80 times the warming power compared to carbon dioxide. Food waste is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA.
To support its marketing claims that Hellmann’s can aid Americans in repurposing leftovers, and therefore avoiding food waste, the brand ran a four-week pilot program in 2021 called “Fridge Night.” The project educated people on the problem of food waste while providing recipes and inspiration. It resulted in a 46% reduction in thrown away food in participating homes, according to Hellmann’s.
The Unilever-owned brand, which sells mustard and other condiments in addition to mayonnaise, has worked with Wunderman Thompson on all of its Big Game spots, including this one.
For the latest Super Bowl 57 advertising news—who’s in, who’s out, teasers, full ads and more—check out Adweek’s Super Bowl 2023 Ad Tracker and the rest of our stories here. And join us on the evening of Feb. 12 for the best in-game coverage of the commercials.
https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/pete-davidson-goes-hamm-and-brie-in-hellmanns-super-bowl-ad/

