This year, the condiment giant Heinz is swapping out its signature red “blood” for something a little more gothic: a jet-black mayonnaise made with black garlic. The limited edition, called “Mayo Halloween,” transforms the pantry staple into a cinematic horror, complete with a campaign steeped in a creepy, old-school aesthetic.
The dramatic short film unfolds like a lost B-movie, building tension until the big reveal – what looks like ketchup turns out to be inky mayonnaise.
“As Halloween becomes increasingly significant in Brazil, it felt like the perfect occasion to introduce a flavor that’s still uncommon here, black garlic, in a context that’s playful for people and unexpected for Heinz,” explains Thiago Lopes, chief marketing officer at Kraft Heinz Brazil.
Mayo Halloween is now available at select retailers across Brazil while supplies last. Previous Halloween releases in other markets, including Australia and New Zealand, sold out in a matter of days.
“We used the visual language of those films to shape the story up to the plot twist: ‘Think it’s ketchup?’” explained Renato Simon, creative director at DAVID São Paulo. “
At that moment, the film shifts to color, but the blood stays black. That’s the reveal: this time, the star is Mayo Halloween.” The transition doubles as a reveal and a wink; Heinz’s way of having fun with its own reputation for creative Halloween campaigns.
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