Hellmann’s NBA brand collaboration scores new fans and growth

What happens when Hellmann’s – the world’s No.1 mayonnaise brand^[a] – teams up with the NBA, the world’s biggest basketball league?

An eight-fold rise in flavoured mayo squeeze-bottle volume sales,^[b] brand leadership secured in the flavoured mayo category^[c] and the creation of a new high sales season for Hellmann’s^[d] are some of the wins the collaboration has landed over the last three years.

But numbers are just the start of this success story.

Becoming an integral part of the NBA season has provided Hellmann’s not only with an unmissable showcase for its trends-led, flavoured mayos but also with a valuable opportunity to connect authentically with Brazil’s powerful basketball community.

Building brand affinity with Gen Z

“According to NBA data, approximately 60% of NBA fans are between 18 and 39 years old,”^[e] explains Rodrigo Visentini, Foods Brazil General Manager.

“Participating in headline-grabbing NBA sports, pop culture and entertainment events is showcasing Hellmann’s cultural brand relevance and making it more attractive to younger Gen Z consumers.”

Boteco Hellmann’s, a series of immersive brand events held in São Paulo and Porto Alegre, for example, boosted brand penetration and consumer engagement with five nights of live game broadcasts, celebrity DJ gigs, games and opportunities to sample Hellmann’s range of flavoured mayonnaises.

It also triggered a long-lasting wave of positive sentiment for our Power Brand.

According to market research, of the 2,700 people who attended the Boteco events, 88% left feeling an increased affinity with Hellmann’s, while a 94 NPS (Net Promoter Score)^[f] result reflected outstanding customer satisfaction, brand loyalty and a high likelihood of recommendation from attendees.

Unlocking brand love for long-lasting impact

This uptick in brand love was echoed on social media where consumers spontaneously became de facto brand ambassadors, sharing thousands of organic posts praising the events on their own platforms.

And it’s an afterglow that has lasted. Market research continues to reflect high positive consumer sentiment for Hellmann’s which ranked tenth overall in the ‘Brands that Conquered Brazil’ report (2025, Ecglobal).

Scaling cultural desire into commercial impact

But immersive events such as this are just one element in a wider NBA collaboration that is leveraging promotions, PR and social listening to turn consumer connection seamlessly into commercial growth.

“Food is an essential part of the experience for sports like basketball that are primarily watched on TV at home in Brazil,” explains Carolina Riotto, Director of Marketing for Brazil.

“The NBA league fuels an incredible fandom audience in the country, and this collaboration has placed the Hellmann’s brand in the NBA pop culture spotlight, creating a genuine connection with a key consumption occasion.”

Hellmann’s is ensuring that it remains in this spotlight by leveraging unmissable paid and organic content to secure social-first brand engagement. In 2025 alone, Hellmann’s worked with over 170 creators on NBA content.

Connected commerce: from sports to sales

For Carolina, it is tuning into what truly matters for fans and transforming it into culturally relevant brand storytelling that has unlocked a 12-fold increase in value of Hellmann’s flavoured squeeze-bottle sales.^[g]

Team allegiances offer a prime example. Through the brand collaboration campaign, each of the range’s eight trend-led flavours has been attributed to an NBA team. The barbeque flavour, for example, is linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, while the Green variety carries the Boston Celtics mascot.

Leveraging Unilever’s SASSY marketing model with premium aesthetics and a youth focus, this packaging innovation echoes the messaging delivered through Hellmann’s NBA digital and primetime advertising, providing unmissable team appeal at the moment of purchase.

The combined result of all these elements? A sales bump that has redefined market dynamics.

Historically, mayonnaise consumption in Brazil peaks with the end-of-year celebrations.

Since Hellmann’s collaboration with the NBA, however, there has been a huge increase in consumption in Q2 which has created a new seasonality for the brand, which saw Amazon sales rise 227% during the NBA Finals activations in 2025.

“This is our Desire at Scale growth model at work,” concludes Carolina.

“By becoming an integral part of the NBA watching-from-the-sofa experience and connecting emotionally with younger fans, Hellmann’s has become a partner in their experience, securing brand trust and long-term equity.”