When every brand launches a Halloween variant by slathering ketchup on a papier-mâché ghost, Heinz took a different route. Enter Black Mayo—a jet-black mayonnaise made with black garlic—and a campaign drenched in old-school horror flicks where the “blood” isn’t red.
In a brief film made by DAVID São Paulo, classic horror tropes get a mayo twist. Monochrome visuals echo Nosferatu’s silent dread, werewolves prowl in fog, and gothic castles loom. And just when you expect a dripping red ketchup hit — splash! — the screen flickers to color and the dark liquid revealed is the black mayo. This is not your grandmother’s burger topping.
That visual surprise is the campaign’s sharp move. Black mayo is odd, yes — but in a world drowning in limited-editions, odd stands out. Pairing that oddness with the familiar language of horror films turns an everyday condiment into a moment of delightfully weird taste. It’s mayonnaise as Halloween costume.
Where most condiment ads wallow in perfect sandwiches and “creamy smooth” lines, Heinz treats the gumption of unsavory visuals like a badge of honor. Think Dracula dining on a burger topped with black garlic mayo, or a palette of classic horror scenes seeping into the sauce reveal. It’s cinematic, unlike the typical supermarket shelf stunt.
The campaign also understands context. Brazil’s Halloween market is booming and still unusual for typical food category launches; black garlic is niche. Heinz saw the alignment and ran with it. The result? A campaign that plays to cultural moment, category surprise, and product distinctiveness all at once.
And yes: the black mayo product hits retail—so beyond the visuals, there’s something to experience. The brand isn’t just scaring you with the ad; it’s asking you to taste the surprise. It’s rare when campaign and product match in boldness, but here they do.
The wisdom in all this is subtle: you don’t always win by being “better.” You win by being different, by leaning into weirdness that still somehow tastes good. Heinz didn’t go faintly spooky—they went full vampire seep, because the mashed category needed something that made people talk.
If you ever feel like your shelf is safe and predictable, remember: sometimes the weirdest condiment ends up being the most memorable.
Proof that even condiments can have a killer brand strategy. — Julian Vega
