The Hellmann’s–NBA collaboration has tapped into the power of Brazil’s more than 57 million NBA fans with a sports-to-sales strategy that’s delivering growth, brand premiumisation and Gen Z brand engagement for Hellmann’s winning line-up of flavoured, squeeze-bottle mayos. Here we look at what is powering this success story.
- Hellmann’s Brazil has seen an eight-fold increase in volume and a 12-fold increase in value of flavoured squeeze mayonnaise sales during its three-year brand collaboration with the NBA
- Hellmann’s was ranked tenth overall in the 2025 ‘Brands that Conquered Brazil’ report
- The NBA tournament has become a new high season for Hellmann’s, with Amazon sales rising 227% during the NBA Finals activations
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 and 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.”
What is Desire at Scale?
Desire at Scale is Unilever’s new strategy and growth engine. Rolling out across every brand and market, it’s a marketing model anchored in our SASSY approach. It enables us to design brands people don’t just need but also want. Brands that spark pleasure, trust and belonging – and convert that feeling into consistent growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Hellmann’s choose the NBA for a packaging and marketing collaboration?
Brazil has more than 57 million NBA fans, and roughly 60% of them are between 18 and 39 years old. Partnering with the league let Hellmann’s reach Gen Z consumers through sport, pop culture and entertainment moments rather than traditional food advertising alone.
How does the flavoured squeeze-bottle range tie into the NBA campaign?
Each of the range’s eight trend-led flavours is attributed to an NBA team – for example, barbeque links to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Green variety carries the Boston Celtics mascot – so the packaging itself carries the team appeal through to the point of purchase.
What sales results has the collaboration delivered?
Over three years, Hellmann’s Brazil recorded an eight-fold increase in flavoured squeeze-bottle mayonnaise volume and a 12-fold increase in value, plus a 227% jump in Amazon sales during the 2025 NBA Finals activations.
What is Unilever’s Desire at Scale model?
Desire at Scale is Unilever’s growth engine, built on its SASSY marketing approach, designed to turn cultural relevance and emotional connection with consumers into consistent, measurable brand growth across markets.
Has the NBA partnership changed when mayonnaise sells best in Brazil?
Yes. Mayonnaise consumption in Brazil traditionally peaks around end-of-year celebrations, but the NBA collaboration has created a new high season in Q2, coinciding with the league’s playoffs and finals.