Mayonnaisism: Hellmann's Creates New Artistic Movement in Brazil

Apr. 11, 2025

Taking pictures of restaurant dishes is a common occurrence across the world, with social feeds filled by fancy plates and meals. But how often do people take the time to appreciate and value homecooked family recipes? Seeking to better understand this scenario, Hellmann’s partnered with Opinion Box, a market research platform, to conduct a proprietary research about consumers’ experiences and behaviors. The brand found that over half of the respondents said their social feeds feature more restaurant dishes than homemade ones — even though most of their meals are actually eaten at home. The paradox is significant: when they cook, over 60% say they wish they received more compliments for their culinary creations, however only 32% consistently compliment the homemade meals they’re served.

With this insight in mind, Hellmann’s, a Unilever brand, hosted an art exhibition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, dedicated to a traditional Brazilian family dish: the potato salad, often decorated with ingredients like onions, tomatoes, eggs and coriander, to name a few. Titled Food Art, the initiative gathered photographs of the dish taken by the brand’s consumers and turned them into works of art, as a tribute to this classic recipe. In the country, it’s common for families to gather on Sundays. As shown in a survey conducted by Opinion Box on behalf of Hellmann’s, these family reunions happen at least once a month for 64.3% of respondents. About them, almost 60% of Brazilians say that in at least half of their Sunday family gatherings, their meals include the potato salad.

Brazil, which saw the Modernism of Lina Bo Bardi and Tarsila do Amaral up close, now gets to know the Mayonnaisism of everyday Brazilian homes. From flowers made of onions to swans made from tomatoes, this is an artistic movement that translates the desire for recognition that has always echoed in Brazilian kitchens. And now, with the help of Hellmann’s, it’s finally being noticed.

Carolina Riotto, CMO of Unilever Foods in Brazil and Head of Condiments in Latin America said:

"Although most Brazilians have emotional memories connected to homemade food, these recipes rarely appear on timelines and social media profiles, which are filled with elaborate dishes or creations by renowned chefs. We have noticed that, in recent years, we have stopped seeing the beauty in everyday dishes, focusing only on restaurant meals. As Brazil’s number one mayonnaise, we are deeply present in Brazilian homes and feel like we are part of these family moments. With this exhibition, we want to give the rightful spotlight to the real artists—the family cooks—by bringing their creations to an art gallery. With this initiative, the real mayonnaise became Food Art."

 

The exhibition featured fifteen framed photographs of real, decorated potato salads, created by consumers who turned their homemade recipes into real works of art. Each creation tells touching stories of affection, memory, and connection around the table, celebrating not only the dish but also family traditions and the culinary creativity of Brazilians.

Regina Velloso, a consumer whose recipe was selected for the exhibition shared:

"It’s such an emotional moment. Seeing my work displayed in an art gallery was the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me. It’s the perfect way to immortalize my recipe because when you see it presented like this, you appreciate it even more."

 

Recipe submissions were gathered through Hellmann’s Brazil social media channels, and the selected consumers had the chance to see their works displayed at a vernissage in a real art gallery, Galeria Caribé in São Paulo in the beginning of 2025. During the event, in addition to exploring the artistic creations and discovering the stories behind each dish, visitors enjoyed a special tasting of The Real Mayonnaise. Beyond the event, the campaign included special OOH pieces that portrayed decorated potato salad as art in São Paulo’s Avenida Paulista, the number one culturally relevant avenue in the city where the most well-known art museum in the country is located, creating a real open-air gallery.

Hellmann’s went even further and brought the movement to national television, taking two artists featured in the exhibition to share their stories on a popular morning open TV program. Through the entire Food Art initiative, “Mayonnnaisism” gained traction on social media, with hundreds of Hellmann’s consumers posting pictures with the #AVerdadeiraArte showing their own family recipes of the traditional potato salad, featuring creative decorations.

Five of the art pieces displayed on the Food Art exhibit will be auctioned on eBay and proceeds will be directed to the family cooks who crafted them.