Hellmann's Smart Jar Unilever

To mark Food Waste Action Week 2023, we teamed up with Hellmann’s to create a specially designed jar of mayonnaise that tells people when their fridge is at the right temperature to keep their food fresher for longer. A recent study revealed that millions of fridges in UK homes are running too warm, causing some foods to spoil up to three days faster than if they were chilled to below 5℃. 
 
For the nationwide multi-channel campaign, we partnered with Influencers across both TikTok and Instagram, fans of the brand, plus food waste campaigners using the eye-catching jar as the catalyst for conversation. The campaign also earned over 160 pieces of online and print coverage across the UK. Ultimately the conversations raised awareness around checking fridge temperatures in a bid to reduce food waste on a national level.
 
The Smart Jar was meticulously crafted by award-winning illustrator Ellen Porteus from the Jacky Winter Group. Ellen’s playful design reveals hidden illustrations and messages when placed in a fridge that is set below 5℃, by using thermochromic ink (an ink that only appears at a certain temperature).
 
“Food waste is a serious issue but these Smart Jars are a fun way of educating people how they can easily combat it. It’s taken us over a year to get the technology right but the end result is more than worth it. I’m impossibly proud of the team for staying the course.” Dan Fisher, Global ECD for Unilever, Ogilvy.
 
The Smart Jar is part of the brand’s 'Make Taste Not Waste' (#MakeTasteNotWaste) platform that launched in 2021 and has inspired more than 200 million people around the world to make the most of their leftovers.