true. food agency | Hellmann's

Introducing Hellman’s Real with a pop-up deli store

Launching an American classic in Belgium

When it comes to mayonnaise, Hellman’s Real is a household name in many countries. Many, but not all: until recently, the Belgian market remained unchartered territory for this renowned sauce brand. In 2018, Unilever called on true. food agency to develop and roll out an effective activation to introduce Hellman’s Real in Belgium.

A New York deli in the heart of Antwerp

More than one hundred years ago, German immigrant Richard Hellmann began selling his mayonnaise at his delicatessen in New York. Inspired by his story, we developed Richard’s Deli: an eye-catching, ‘New York’-styled deli in the historical centre of Antwerp. After all: if you can make it there, you can make it everywhere. true. food agency took care of every aspect, end to end: from concept to design and interior, from practical roll-out to full menu engineering.

Urban comfort food

Firmly rooted in the Big Apple, the menu of Richard’s Deli mainly consisted of urban comfort food: Rueben sandwiches, hotdogs, burgers, classic salads, New York styled fries and more. Hellman’s Real played a central role in every dish: this way, the mayonnaise’s distinct taste was gradually introduced, while the brand itself was highly visible in the deli.

Taking care of every detail

To deliver a striking customer experience we delivered a full roll-out of the project, ranging from the design and production of branded squeeze bottles, vouchers, indoor and outdoor signage, menu cards, flyers, postcards to staff uniforms and much more.

To introduce the product in the best possible way to the Belgian customer, we also took care of the photography and graphical representations of dishes and recipes.

To amplify and seed the brand activation, we also managed the deli’s social media, with regular posts ensuring enough attention among its thousands of followers.

Our very own sister company real. space agency, designed and managed the complete execution the interior of Richard’s Deli. A contemporary ‘New York deli’ vibe was evoked by combining rougher materials with lighter elements.

Hellman's becomes the talk of the town

In three months’ time, from April 2018 till the end of June 2018, numerous clients visited Richard’s Deli. They all enjoyed the taste of the Hellman’s-inspired dishes, and then went on to talk about it with their friends and family. In the meantime, thousands decided to follow Richard’s Deli on Instagram. Moreover, being at an A-location in the heart of Antwerp, countless passers-by have spotted the deli, thus being exposed to the Hellman’s brand. This has undoubtedly given the brand awareness in the Belgian market a firm head start.

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