Welcome back to Ad Nauseam, where we delve into the art of commercial storytelling. In this installment, we explore the Game Day spot, "When Sally Met Hellmann’s," put together by the creatives at VML New York. If you’ve been anywhere near a television during the big game, you’ve likely noticed a growing trend: major brands mining Hollywood’s archives for their ad campaigns, resurrecting classic films and beloved scenes to capture attention. The latest entry into this nostalgia arms race? Hellmann’s, with a spot that recreates When Harry Met Sally’s iconic diner scene, complete with Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, and Sydney Sweeney stepping in to carry the cultural baton forward.
Watch the 60s spot below.
No copyright infringement intended.
Big Game advertising has always been about spectacle, but in recent years, we’ve seen a shift toward nostalgia as a dominant creative approach. We’re in an age where brands increasingly lean on cinematic throwbacks and references. The question is: are they doing it because it’s a creative advantage, or is nostalgia simply the safest bet in today's attention economy and in an era of brand risk aversion?
At first glance, this sort of approach seems like a slam dunk. The diner scene from When Harry Met Sally isn’t just memorable, it’s embedded in the fabric of pop culture. That famous “I’ll have what she’s having” line has been referenced, parodied, and remixed for decades, making it an easy shorthand for familiarity. The sort of thing every brand craves. Hellmann’s taps into that recognition, leveraging Sydney Sweeney’s additional star power in a bid to spur recognition from younger audiences and a nice VO button from Billy Crystal that says, “I’m competing with a condiment.” But does it actually move the needle for the brand? Also I’d never put mayo on any sandwich from Katz’s, but I digress.
In theory, leveraging a beloved film should create an emotional bridge between the audience and the product. But that only works if the connection feels organic.
This is where nostalgia-fueled advertising gets tricky. In theory, leveraging a beloved film should create an emotional bridge between the audience and the product. But that only works if the connection feels organic. The best nostalgia-driven ads don’t just reference pop culture, they integrate it in a way that serves the brand’s story. Unlike some of the more seamless examples of this technique, Matthew's Day Off (which I did casting for) excelled at threading Ferris Bueller’s ethos into the campaign. The spot didn’t just bring back a beloved character for recognition’s sake. It aligned the carefree, rebellious spirit of Ferris Bueller with the experience of driving. Hellmann’s attempt feels more like a surface-level reference than a brand-building moment.
The original diner scene worked because it built to an unexpected and memorable payoff. In contrast, this ad gives everything away immediately. If you know the reference, you already anticipate the moment. If you don’t, the joke does not land at all, leaving you wondering what just happened. The result is a disconnect that makes the spot feel more like a reminder of the past than a meaningful brand statement.
This is a good opportunity to clarify why nostalgia works and why it is not the same as celebrity. Nostalgia is effective when it reinforces a brand’s message in a way that feels earned or when it instantly evokes something familiar and beloved. It is not just about putting Meg and Billy in a recognizable setting and adding mayonnaise into the mix. Their presence carries weight because it connects directly to the cultural memory of When Harry Met Sally. The inclusion of Sydney Sweeney represents celebrity. She is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars, and her presence is clearly meant to broaden the ad’s appeal across generations. While she ensures the ad speaks to a younger audience, she does not strengthen the nostalgic connection. The best nostalgia driven ads find a way to do both.
With so many brands dipping into the nostalgia well, are we reaching a saturation point? If every ad campaign is a throwback to a movie from the ‘80s or ‘90s, audiences will start to tune out. We’ve seen similar fatigue in Hollywood, where endless reboots and sequels have begun to lose their cultural impact. If brands want to continue leveraging nostalgia, they need to find ways to make it feel fresh and meaningful rather than simply repackaging the past. This speaks to a broader challenge with nostalgia marketing: it often prioritizes recognition over relevance. There’s a reason some of the most effective Big Game ads either create something wholly original or, when leveraging cinematic nostalgia, do so with an undeniable strategic fit. Jeep’s Groundhog Day spot with Bill Murray? Perfect, because the theme of the movie is directly tied into the product’s messaging: “No Day Is The Same with a Jeep.” The Hellmann’s spot, by contrast, feels like it could have been attached to almost any food brand looking for a quick shot of cultural recognition.
As brands continue to lean on familiar IP to break through the noise, the question remains: are they creating lasting impressions, or just momentary celebrity recognition?
None of this is to say the ad won’t resonate; it already has amassed hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. Nostalgia works, even when it’s a bit thin. And this spot has more than enough talent to make it a cultural moment, and thank you Hellmanns for delivering unto us this reunion of Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. But as brands continue to lean on familiar IP to break through the noise, the question remains: are they creating lasting impressions, or just momentary celebrity recognition? Because the real magic in advertising isn’t just making people remember, it’s making them care and take action. And if all a brand does is remind audiences of something they already loved, without adding anything new to the conversation, it runs the risk of becoming a footnote in the crowded world of nostalgia-driven marketing.
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