The Super Bowl is the one night of the year that I don’t mind watching commercials, especially ones in which famous people poke fun of themselves or make big announcements. You never know what you’re going to get. It’s America’s most expensive night of publicity. As you may remember, last year’s hit commercials included Jennifer Aniston forgetting who David Schwimmer was and the hilarious sequel to Ben Affleck’s 2023 Dunkin’ Donuts commercial featuring Jennifer Lopez, Matt Damon, and Tom Brady. Since it’s almost Super Bowl time, companies have started releasing some of this year’s bigger commercials. One of the first ones to drop? An amazing Hellmann’s mayo commercial featuring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reuniting as Sally and Harry in a sequel to the movie’s famous “I’ll have what she’s having” scene at Katz’s Deli. Sydney Sweeney is in it too.
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan have returned to the scene of the orgasm, recreating the indelible deli scene from When Harry Met Sally for a Super Bowl ad for mayonnaise.
The spot for Hellmann’s (watch the 60-second version above) was filmed at Katz’s Delicatessen in New York, the same venue where the 1989 romcom scene took place. The close replica of the original scene only adds the variation that the addition of the right brand of mayo is what prompts an orgasmic response from Sally. Nodding to the original scene’s button, the line “I’ll have what she’s having,” the ad has Sydney Sweeney deliver it in place of Estelle Reiner in the original movie.
The ad will be part of a record-setting lineup for Fox’s telecast of the February 9 game. Earlier Wednesday, sources told Deadline the network has fetched more than $8 million for at least 10 of the 30-second spots during the game, a new high. Fox broke the $7 million mark in 2023, its last time broadcasting the Super Bowl.
Jake Szymanski directed the ad, which starts with Harry observing, “I can’t believe they let us back in this place.” When Sally asks him why, he responds, “Hello…,” alluding to the pounding-the-table scene in the film. “Nobody remembers that,” Sally shrugs.
Dissatisfied with her sandwich, Sally adds a squirt or two of Hellmann’s and suddenly rediscovers the carnal pleasures of a good deli experience. Crystal is in his element once Ryan begins moaning with delight. “Here we go,” he mutters. As more and more nearby diners and onlookers stare, he delivers a beleaguered smile, telling them, “Lunch and a show, huh? How about that?!”
Honestly, I loved this commercial so much. It’s not over-the-top and the cameo at the end threw me because I really wasn’t expecting it. I generally have an attention span that isn’t longer than 10 seconds of video, but this one kept my attention for the entire time. They both played the parts so seamlessly that it didn’t feel like a chore to watch and didn’t feel cheesy at all. The only thing that brought me out of the scene was that it was a Hellmann’s commercial. I may have been raised in Hellmann’s land of New York, but after 16 years in North Carolina, I am fully a Duke’s Mayo gal. IYKYK and if you don’t know then I feel sorry for you. Anyway, this commercial is a ‘super’ winner in my book. A+, 10/10. It’s going to be tough to top it, but I’m looking forward to what other companies come up with to try to. I’m going to miss the annual Ben Affleck/Jennifer Lopez Dunkin one, though. Given that we keep hearing about how they’re still friendly, I’m curious to see if they did film another one.
Photos credit: Robin Platzer/Twin Images/Avalon and via Instagram/Meg Ryan
I prefer older woman in original movie at end…..it was actually Rob Reiners mom. Like imagine Kathy Bates saying I’ll have what she’s having….
😂😂😂😂😂😂. Lunch and a show! Love it.
I went shopping for my son last week and had to buy him mayonnaise; we don’t typically buy it as we’re empty nesters and don’t eat sandwiches (always leftovers for lunch.) I almost dropped dead. A small jar of mayonnaise was more than $5, and the larger jar was more than $6.50! WTH – I guess that means a make-at-home egg salad sandwich now costs $10?
everything’s going up…i’m in process of teaching myself how to make things at home instead of buying or going out to eat. I’ve made my own mayonnaise before (years and years ago) and it was pretty easy, so I guess I’ll be back to making my own…
One thing I won’t be making, and will just eat the cost, is ketchup. I’ve tried and tried and tried and can’t get the texture or taste right.
…”this was real”🤣
And “tastefully done” 😂😂☹️😂
I loved it! They were still perfect in their roles, and I was so happy to see that Meg Ryan looks great and not so much like an illustration of botched plastic surgery.
I saw this the other day and thought it was just perfection. I really wish Meg and Billy would do another movie together.
Are they running out of money?
This is the kind of thing you do for fun when you already have enough money.