Will Levis puts mayonnaise in his coffee. Honestly, that should have been the end of the story. Back in 2021, a TikTok video of the then-Kentucky quarterback squeezing a swirl of Hellmann’s into a steaming mug of caffeine went viral for all the wrong reasons. People were horrified. It looked like a gag. It smelled like clout-chasing. But fast forward to now, and that strange condiment habit has morphed into the Will Levis mayonnaise commercial—a multi-year marketing blitz that basically redefined how we look at athlete brand deals in the NIL and NFL era. It isn’t just about a weird sandwich spread; it’s about a guy leaning so hard into a joke that the joke started paying him millions.
Most people thought it was a prank. It wasn't.
Levis has admitted he did it once to be funny, but the internet has a way of turning one-off moments into permanent identities. When he entered the 2023 NFL Draft, the "Mayo Man" persona followed him to the green room. While other prospects were talking about their 40-yard dash times or their vertical leaps, Levis was answering questions about whether he actually liked the taste of oil-and-egg emulsion in his morning brew. Hellmann’s, owned by Unilever, saw the chaos and did something remarkably smart. They didn't just give him a free jar; they signed him to a lifetime deal.
Why the Will Levis Mayonnaise Commercial Actually Worked
Commercials usually suck because they feel forced. You see a player holding a product they clearly never use, reading lines they clearly didn't write. The Will Levis mayonnaise commercial campaign avoided this because it started with a genuine, albeit gross, human moment. When Hellmann's released their "Mayon-Egg" perfume parody and the subsequent "Will Levis No. 1" fragrance ad, it worked because it was self-aware. It was a parody of the overly serious, black-and-white cologne ads we see from high-fashion brands.
Levis is seen brooding. He’s looking into the distance. There’s dramatic music. Then, he eats a piece of bread with a massive dollop of mayo. It’s absurd.
The "Will Levis No. 1" campaign was a masterclass in "stunt marketing." They didn't just make a TV spot; they actually manufactured a limited-run fragrance that smelled like—you guessed it—mayonnaise. Or at least, it had "creamy" and "tangy" notes. It sold out almost instantly. This kind of engagement is what brands dream of. It bridges the gap between a "sports guy" and "pop culture icon." Even if you don't care about the Tennessee Titans' offensive line struggles, you probably have an opinion on a guy who smells like a deli sandwich.
Breaking Down the Viral Strategy
Traditional marketing is dead. You can't just buy a billboard and hope for the best. Hellmann's and their agency, Edelman, understood that the conversation was happening on Reddit, Twitter (X), and TikTok. By leaning into the "Will Levis mayonnaise commercial" memes, they turned a potential PR liability—being "the weird mayo guy"—into a massive asset.
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Think about the timing. The first major commercial dropped right as Levis was transitioning from a scrutinized draft pick to a starting NFL quarterback. The pressure was immense. Usually, players in that position go quiet. They focus on the playbook. Levis? He leaned into the weirdness. It humanized him. It made him the underdog you wanted to root for, or at least the guy you wanted to watch to see what he’d do next.
The Economics of a Lifetime Condiment Deal
We don't often see "lifetime" deals for mid-level starters. Michael Jordan has Nike. LeBron James has Nike. Will Levis has Hellmann’s. That should tell you everything you need to know about the current state of athlete branding. It’s no longer just about being the best player on the field; it’s about "ownable" traits.
Levis owns mayonnaise.
If any other player tries to do something with a condiment now, it’ll feel like a rip-off of the Will Levis mayonnaise commercial vibe. This is what marketers call "category dominance." When you think of mayo, you think of Hellmann’s, and when you think of Hellmann’s, you think of the Titans quarterback. It’s a closed loop. While the exact dollar amounts of these contracts are rarely public, industry experts suggest a lifetime deal for a high-profile NFL starter is easily in the seven-figure range annually, plus performance bonuses and equity-like structures.
The Risk of Being the "Mayo Guy"
There is a downside. Honestly, it’s a big one. When Levis struggles on the field—like during a rough stretch of interceptions or a fumble—the "mayo" jokes come out in full force. Fans are fickle. If you’re winning, the mayo coffee is "quirky" and "alpha." If you’re losing, it’s "distracting" and "the reason we can't have nice things."
Levis has had to balance this carefully. He’s shown a lot of maturity in how he handles the media, often pivoting from mayo questions back to team dynamics. But the brand is sticky. It’s hard to wash off. Once you’re the guy in the Will Levis mayonnaise commercial, you’re that guy forever. Just ask the "Dilly Dilly" guy or the GEICO cavemen.
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Realism vs. Marketing: Does He Actually Drink It?
Let's get real for a second. Does Will Levis actually put mayo in his coffee every morning?
Probably not.
He’s an elite athlete. His diet is meticulously managed by trainers and nutritionists. A tablespoon of mayo is roughly 90 calories of pure fat. While he might have done it for the cameras or as a one-time dare, his actual pre-game routine is likely much more boring—oatmeal, egg whites, and black coffee. The Will Levis mayonnaise commercial is a heightened version of reality. It’s "Kayfabe," as they say in pro wrestling. We all know it’s a bit of a performance, but we agree to go along with it because it’s entertaining.
The brilliance of the campaign is that it doesn't matter if it’s true. It’s "true enough." It fits his personality—bold, slightly chaotic, and unafraid of judgment. That matches his playing style. He’s a "gunslinger." He takes risks. Sometimes those risks lead to a 60-yard touchdown, and sometimes they lead to putting a sandwich topping in a beverage.
The Impact on the Titans' Brand
The Tennessee Titans aren't exactly the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Giants in terms of global reach. They are a solid, gritty team in a mid-sized market. The Will Levis mayonnaise commercial gave the Titans a level of national visibility they haven't had since the "Music City Miracle" or the peak Derrick Henry years.
Suddenly, you had national morning shows talking about Nashville. You had lifestyle magazines covering a quarterback from a team that usually gets ignored by the coastal media. This "halo effect" benefits the franchise, the city, and the NFL at large. It proves that you don't need to play in LA or NYC to be a marketing powerhouse. You just need a gimmick that sticks.
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How to Leverage This Kind of Brand Power
If you’re a creator, a business owner, or even just someone trying to build a personal brand, there’s a massive lesson here. The Will Levis mayonnaise commercial teaches us that your "flaws" or your "weirdness" are actually your greatest strengths.
- Don't run from the weird stuff. If people are talking about a specific quirk you have, lean into it. That's your "Blue Ocean."
- Commit to the bit. Half-hearted marketing fails. If Levis had just done one tweet and stopped, it would have died. By doing the fragrance, the lifetime deal, and the press tours, he made it an institution.
- Find a partner that gets the joke. Hellmann’s didn't try to make Levis "cool" in a traditional way. They leaned into the absurdity. Find partners who match your energy.
The Future of the Mayo Man
Where does it go from here? We’ve seen the fragrance. We’ve seen the coffee. We’ve seen the bread. The next step is likely deeper integration. Maybe we see "Levis-style" mayo jars in grocery stores. Maybe there’s a "Mayo Bowl" sponsorship in his future.
As long as he’s starting in the NFL, the Will Levis mayonnaise commercial saga will continue. It’s a perfect synergy of a player who needs a brand and a brand that needs a face. It’s gross, it’s weird, and it’s absolutely brilliant marketing.
To actually apply the "Levis Strategy" to your own life or business, stop trying to be "professional" in the way 1995 thought was professional. 1995 is dead. We live in a world where a guy who puts mayo in his coffee is a multimillionaire because he wasn't afraid to look a little bit ridiculous on the internet.
Next Steps for Content Strategy:
- Identify one "non-traditional" trait in your brand and brainstorm how to highlight it instead of hiding it.
- Look for "stunt" opportunities that create physical products out of digital memes (like the Mayo perfume).
- Focus on "Lifetime" value in partnerships rather than one-off transactional posts; consistency builds the character.
The "Mayo Man" isn't a fluke. He's a blueprint for the next decade of sports media. Whether you love the taste or it makes you want to gag, you can't deny that we're all still talking about it. That, right there, is the win.