Hellmann’s ‘When Harry Met Sally’ works for fans and newbies alike

‘When Harry Met Sally’ by Hellmann's was a fitting fan service for superfan Sarah Firth, strategy and creative director, Speed Comms and co-founder of Anything But Grey.

Full disclosure: I’m a big fan, big, huge fan of ‘When Harry Met Sally’. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen it, how many lines I can quote and how many walls I’ve hung my ‘signed by the four leading actors’ movie poster on.

So when I first got a whiff that Billy and Meg were reuniting for something, I was understandably thrilled. When I found out it was for an ad, how did it make me feel? Well, absolutely fine is the answer.

Now, I know for some purists of the film, the fact that ‘that scene’ has been remade for Hellmann's Mayo might be more than they can bear, but I’m good with it. Why?

Well, for one, the copywriting – the end line, ‘It Hits the Spot’ – bravo, hats off, an absolute triumph.

Then there’s the scriptwriting – enough for us faithfuls to feel at home and enough for those new to the ‘woman fakes orgasm whilst eating a sandwich in a deli’ genre to get the joke.

The scene setting – the most obvious backdrop for a bottle of Hellmann's is, of course, a New York deli – shows the product off to its best – taking a humdrum sandwich to a humdinger of an experience.

And the multi-generational aspect of all good cultural moments is baked into the thinking – I saw ‘When Harry Met Sally’ when it was first released, when I was 20, and now I have a really good excuse to introduce it to my 20 year old.

I wonder if this is opening the gateway to a series of deli/diner cinematic moments where Hellmann's could rightfully have its place.

I think it’s only left to be said that with this particular cinematic reworking, Hellmann's, it had to be you!