Hellmann’s Super Bowl commercial, released Wednesday, brings actors Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan together again at Katz’s Delicatessen in New York to recreate one of the most famous scenes from their 1989 rom-com “When Harry Met Sally…”
Watch Harry and Sally recreate the famous Katz’s Deli scene in Hellmann’s Super Bowl ad
The 30-second commercial, created by VML, depicts Sally and Harry, who wears his classic cable knit sweater, celebrating their anniversary over a deli lunch at Katz’s. They reminisce as they eat sandwiches, but Sally finds hers a bit bland, so she adds Hellmann’s. The result is the recreation of the iconic “fake orgasm” scene from the movie.
The nostalgic ad then passes the torch to a new generation rom-com actress with a cameo from Sydney Sweeney, who delivers the famous “I’ll have what she’s having” line. The ad ends with the line “It hits the spot“ onscreen above the sandwich, along with two containers of Hellmann’s.
“When Sally Met Hellmann’s” is set to air during the game’s second quarter.
“Reuniting with Billy and stepping back into Sally’s shoes was a joy,” said Ryan in a statement. “I’m hoping it’ll be fun for fans to revisit this scene with its (wink, wink) new star, Hellmann’s mayo.”
“The opportunity to return to Katz’s Deli with Meg was a no-brainer,” added Crystal. “Thanks to Hellmann’s, who came up with the concept and wrote a really funny spot, we’re bringing some laughs and nostalgia.”
A 60-second extended version will run on social.
Hellmann’s is teaming up with Katz’s Deli through Feb. 9 to offer fans the “What She’s Having” sandwich package for purchase, featuring the main ingredients and a recipe card to make Sally’s turkey sandwich order along with Harry’s pastrami sandwich.
The spot marks Hellmann’s fifth year advertising in the Super Bowl. Earlier in the season, Hellmann’s partnered with NFL quarterback Will Levis to launch a mayo-scented perfume, dish out motivational quotes about mayonnaise and introduced a new mascot, Manny Mayo. The Unilever brand’s platform for the season is “Making Game Day Delicious.”
“For our fifth year in the Big Game, we wanted to be as iconic and memorable as the moments and dishes that are part of the final Game Day of football season,” said Jessica Grigoriou, senior VP of marketing, condiments, Unilever North America. “By paying homage to the classic deli moment from ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ with a creative remake to show fans how the deliciously creamy flavor of Hellmann’s can make an ordinary sandwich extraordinarily mind-blowing, we were able to combine humor, nostalgia and the timeless appeal of Hellmann’s that will leave a lasting impression on fans just as the movie did 35 years ago.”
To unveil the spot, Hellmann’s held a private event at Katz’s on Tuesday night, where creators and other guests could order the sandwiches, get customized cable knit sweaters and take photos at the famous table where Harry and Sally sat during the scene.
In a Q&A discussion, the ad’s director, Jake Szymanski, revealed that the actors ad-libbed many of the snappy, humorous lines, and the team clipped together some of the quips. Watch a behind-the-scenes video below.
In previous years, many of Hellmann’s Super Bowl spots centered around saving food waste. In 2024, “Mayo Cat” featured Kate McKinnon and a talking cat who says “Mayo,” reminding her to use the condiment to save her leftovers. The spot featured a cameo from Pete Davidson, who also appeared in previous Hellmann’s Super Bowl spots.