HOBOKEN: Inspired by the garlicky flavor — and scent — of its vampire-repelling Garlic Aioli, Hellmann’s has conjured up an exclusive edition of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s newest novel, The Primal of Blood and Bone, printed with garlic-infused ink.
The Unilever condiment brand has partnered with the romantasy author and book publisher Blue Box Press to launch a “Craven-proof” edition of the book,available for purchase October 1.
The book is designed to ward off Armentrout’s fictional undead creatures, the Craven, created when a vampry, or Ascended, drains a human of all their blood – akin to a vampire.
“We saw this tremendous opportunity to engage this passionate #BookTok community, but in a way that only Hellmann’s could — with bold flavor,” Jessica Grigoriou, Unilever North America SVP of marketing for condiments, said, referencing the TikTok community of book readers and fans.
Hellmann’s, known for its unique activations and out-of-the-box campaigns, knew it wanted to tap into the online audience in a way that paired themed foods with readers’ favorite stories, which typically occurs during book clubs or BookTok gatherings.
The brand worked with Edelman, its PR agency partner, to bring the unlikely collaboration to life in a matter of months. Edelman global executive creative director Andrew Simon said it came together “with a lot of blood, sweat, tears and garlic.”
In researching how to incorporate Hellmann’s into the “passion and vibrancy” of BookTok, Simon said his team came across the romantasy subgenre and was introduced to Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash world which was set to release its latest series edition, The Primal of Blood and Bone, in late September.
He reached out to Armentrout’s independent publisher Blue Box Press in June and immediately knew cofounders Jillian Stein and Liz Berry were the right partners to work with on the unique collaboration.
“We’re always trying to do something new and fun, but we’re limited because we are small and primarily just in publishing,” Stein said, explaining that, when she received Simon’s email, she and Berry knew they couldn’t turn down the opportunity.
Blue Box Press has partnered with brands such as Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Target for special editions of their authors’ books, but Hellmann’s marked its first novel outside of the traditional publishing space, according to Stein.
While Armentrout’s vamprys are not known to readers as being garlic-averse like the vampires of traditional spooky-lore, Simon explained that it’s generally understood that garlic keeps vampires away, “specifically the ugly, creepy ones.”
Hellmann’s and Edelman partnered with Armentrout to make the product “authentic and true to the series,” Grigoriou said, noting details like the “Craven-proof” language featured on the book’s updated cover art.
To create the first-of-its-kind scented book, Simon reached out to Edelman’s production partner to see if it was possible to print a book with garlic ink — and the team made it happen.
“Because of the passion around the idea, it came together very quickly,” Simon said, explaining that there were multiple rounds of garlic tests. “Through much experimentation, we realized that it doesn’t take a lot of garlic to have a very big impact.”
The book itself is 800 pages, but the teams decided it would be “too much” to print every single page with garlic. The garlic ink is featured instead in the ex-libris, or bookplate, in the beginning of the book, which Simon said is the “perfect amount” of garlic smell, ranking in at a four out of 10 on the “garlic meter.”
The scent will likely dissipate over time, he noted, so readers won’t have to worry about their house or book collection reeking of garlic.
Unlike the standard edition, which was released September 23, the Craven-proof version of The Primal of Blood and Bone features garlic bulb cover art by artist Hang Le, who has worked on all of the covers for the series. She created the special garlic-clove book jacket to make the edition more unique and special, Stein said, in theme with its garlicky scent.
For a limited time, From Blood and Ash fans can purchase one of the about 1,000 smelly special edition books at HellmannsCravenProof.com. Book club gatherers can also access three original recipes inspired by The Primal of Blood and Bone, including The Casteel-erole, Poppy’s Plater and Garlic Sliders of the Ascended, crafted by Hellmann’s in partnership with Edelman.
The recipes were created with book club hosting in mind, according to Grigoriou, including easily shareable platters that readers can bring to their next book club meeting and eat while discussing.
The teams are leading social-first in the marketing around the launch, she explained, including engaging BookTokers and creators who have been teasing the coffin mailer ahead of the limited-edition book’s release on Wednesday.
@bailees_bookshelf Wonder what @Hellmann’s Mayonnaise could have sent me… Reveal coming soon, come back on 10/1 to see what’s inside! #HellmannsPartner #BookTok #booktokfyp #bookish ♬ original sound – Bailee
Hellmann’s will also release a making-of-the-book video, showcasing the experimentation that went into crafting the first-ever scented collectible.
Blue Box Press has similarly reached out to creators within the BookTok and TikTok community who have engaged with previous releases throughout the series to share advanced copies and build excitement around the collaboration.
@heaths.bookclub @Hellmann’s Mayonnaise citing special edition collab! Keep an eye out for this one BookTok… 10/1 #HellmannsPartner ♬ original sound – heather
The publisher is additionally working with a book club to promote and make the featured recipes and share the experience across social media – in theme with the role food plays throughout the series, Stein said.
Armentrout herself teased the garlicky collaboration in an Instagram post Monday, signing books, Hellmann’s mayo bottles and garlic cloves and hinting at a “special (smelling) edition” of her new book.
“I never expected to be collaborating with Hellmann’s, and I’m still kind of shocked that I am, but it has been such a fun and unique experience that pairs perfectly with my tongue-in-cheek humor,” Armentrout said of the partnership, via email.
Fans who purchase the limited-edition book in-store at Armentrout’s bookstore, Miss Willa’s Bookshop in Charles Town, West Virginia, will also receive a Craven-Proof bottle of Garlic Aioli, while supplies last.
The author opened the bookstore in July, so the opportunity to do a unique release at her own shop was “perfect timing,” Stein said. The bookshop is normally closed on Wednesdays, but will be open specially for those looking to come in-person to purchase the limited edition.
“I’ve been in the book world for a little while and I don’t recall anything like this being done in any capacity,” Stein said of the scented book and the chance to market it in a unique way to kick off spooky season. “I have to imagine that readers are going to lean in and be excited to do something different and new.”
Simon seconded that the original collaboration was created with Armentrout and BookTok’s audience in mind — with a little bit of mayo flair.
“It’s a big genre for a reason. People love it and they also love Hellmann’s,” Simon said. “Hellmann’s is a best seller, [Armentrout] is a best seller, so this is the perfect marriage together.”
“Nobody has ever created a garlic-smelling book before and we’re very proud that we’re the first,” he added.