Mayonnaise is one of the most popular condiments in the U.K., as 43% of British people surveyed declared it is one of their favorite condiments.
This preference for the condiment has enabled Hellmann’s, a mayonnaise brand founded in 1913, to become one of the biggest players in the mayonnaise market in the U.K.
As of 2023, it has achieved 51% market share, with a presence in 28 million households across the country.
Simply said, Hellmann’s has become synonymous with mayonnaise in the U.K.
However, there’s an interesting twist to this story…
… despite mayonnaise being one of the most popular condiments in the U.K., McDonald’s, one of the biggest fast food chains in the nation, didn’t offer it as an option to go along with fries—another staple in the country.
Instead of sitting on its laurels and wondering why this was the case, Hellmann’s saw this as the perfect opportunity to change all that!
How?
By cleverly giving customers what they want!
Video snippet from YouTube
No, You Can’t Get Mayo with Your Fries
Even though it’s one of the most popular condiments in the country, mayonnaise couldn’t be found in McDonald’s’ sauce menu.
This was puzzling, considering that there was no shortage in demand for the sauce.
Seeing this as an opportunity not only to promote its brand but also give what customers want, HellMann’s took it upon itself to change this in 2023.
Even though there was no way for customers to order a mayonnaise dip separately, McDonald’s’ U.K. stores did serve mayonnaise as part of the ingredients for the Mayo Chicken burger menu offering.
Hellmann’s, in partnership with public relations and marketing consultancy firm Edelman, used this technicality as the inspiration for the Mayo McHack campaign.
So, how did this play out?
Edelman and HellMann’s launched an integrated campaign that encouraged people to customize their Mayo Chicken burger each time they ordered it from McDonald’s.
The twist here is that customers were encouraged to request the removal of the chicken, lettuce, and bun, leaving just the mayo for them to enjoy along with their fries!
Those who heeded the call were asked to submit photos of the “mayo hack,” and post them on social media. The cost of pulling this off was reimbursed by HellMann’s in the form of vouchers.
Image from D&AD
To maximize visibility, Edelman promoted this “hack” through digital out-of-home (OOH) screens strategically placed outside of McDonald’s U.K. restaurants, Hellmann’s social media channels, and print ads in regional newspapers.
The marketing consultancy firm also reached out to social media users who had indicated their desire for a mayo dip option, telling them that there was a “hack” to get their hands on mayo.
Lastly, food content creators were also brought on to further maximize social engagement.
Now, on to the most important question: Was all this effort worth it?
Yes!
The Mayo McHack guerrilla marketing campaign generated an 842% increase in social impressions and a 320% rise in engagement for HellMann’s. This initiative also led to a 46% boost in brand consideration and a 9-point increase in purchase intent.
What else?
72% of respondents answered in the affirmative when asked if McDonald’s should serve Hellmann’s mayo.
The campaign also garnered attention from prestigious awards-giving bodies such as D&AD, The One Club, and Cresta Awards.
Another result of this campaign is that as of 2025, McDonald’s’ U.K. offers mayonnaise in its condiments & sauces menu!
Mission successful!
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By coming up with a creative and memorable twist to solve its target customers’ pain points, HellMann’s and Edelman were able to craft a campaign that drove positive outcomes.
The Mayo McHack campaign shows us the viability of out-of-the-box tactics in generating buzz for a brand, especially when this is leveraged in conjunction with a deep knowledge of a target audience’s pain points.
Remember: More often than not, brands already have the answers to get the attention of their target audience. All that’s really needed is to come up with a twist to make a sticky campaign!
So, the next time you plan on generating buzz for your brand, take a page from HellMann’s playbook, as it just might be the inspiration you need to come up with your own sticky campaign!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing”
Jay Conrad Levinson (1984) said that Guerrilla Marketing “works because it’s simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and inexpensive.”
Guerrilla Marketing is unconventional.
Looking beyond the traditional ways of advertising, marketers and advertisers need to spice things up in order for their brand to have campaigns that not only make an impact but also stick to their target market’s mind.
Guerrilla Marketing usually aims to have direct contact with consumers.
This type of direct contact should spark an emotional reaction that leads to consumers effectively remembering the brand.
It’s about making a big impression and making that impression last a long time (if not forever).
Guerrilla Marketing can be inexpensive.
The effect of this is being able to create a buzz around the brand, and the strategy used to market it. Almost everything is passed around through word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest outcomes and it usually doesn’t cost anything.
This is every business’ or brand’s dream!
Every Friday, we publish tips, examples, and other useful content on unconventional ways of marketing and promotion.
Learn more about how to grab your target market’s attention and make an amazing first and lasting impression without having to spend a lot of money.
Businesses don’t really need to spend much for a guerrilla campaign. You do not need a big budget to be successful. You just need creativity and a good imagination.
Hope you find this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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