• by Erik Oster , January 31, 2024

Hellman’s “Mayo Cat” Super Bowl ad starring Kate McKinnon certainly goes to some unexpected places.

Revealed by the Unilever mayonnaise brand yesterday, the 60-second version of the ad opens on the actress/comedian rummaging through her fridge for something to eat. When she struggles with what to do with her leftover chicken, scallions, and cheese, her cat -- played by feline actor Chipmunk -- chimes in with a helpful suggestion: ”Mayo.” McKinnon realizes not just what she can do with her leftovers but that her cat can talk, and soon “Mayo Cat” is an international icon -- and, like a lot of celebrities, briefly dates Pete Davidson (in the actor/comedian’s third Big Game appearance for the brand).

"Although our whirlwind romance has come to an end, Mayo Cat and I remain good friends, united by our common goal to end food waste," Davidson said in a statement. "I'm a big leftovers guy, so it's been cool to be a part of Hellmann's ads for the Big Game.”

“Mayo Cat” marks the brand’s fourth-consecutive Super Bowl campaign centered around driving consumers to its “Make Taste. Not Waste” platform, connecting consumers with practical ways to use mayo to transform leftovers. The 30-second broadcast version of the spot will air during the second quarter of the game.

In addition to starring in the Big Game ad, Mayo Cat will appear on the exterior of Sphere – the  entertainment venue that opened in the Super Bowl host city Las Vegas this past September -- greeting passers-by in an immersive, 3D rotational activation running through Feb 4.

"Hellmann's continues to challenge itself to find relatable, authentic and even humorous ways for people to think about their leftovers,” Unilever Senior Marketing Director, Dressings, North America Chris Symmes said in a statement.

In a statement, Chipmunk summed up the experience of working on the Big Game camapign by saying, “May-ow.”