What if your next novel didn’t just read well, but smelled right too?
To celebrate the release of The Primal of Blood and Bone, bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout teamed up with Hellmann’s for one of the strangest (and funniest) brand crossovers of the year: a collector’s edition printed with garlic-scented ink.
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A playful nod to the vampire lore that runs through Armentrout’s Blood and Ash universe, the campaign turns a simple book into a sensory collectible, one that literally smells like garlic… and self-awareness.
Created by Edelman, the special edition is cheekily called the “Craven-Proof Edition” referencing the vampire-like creatures known as Cravens. Since garlic is known to ward off vampires, Hellmann’s infused the book’s ex-libris page with a custom garlic-scented ink, rated 4/10 on its in-house “garlic meter,” noticeable, but not overpowering.
The cover, designed by Hang Le, features an elegant garlic bulb motif, leaving no doubt that this is both a romance and a roast.
Behind the bizarre crossover lies a clever strategy: tapping into BookTok, the passionate corner of TikTok where readers drive trends, fan theories, and bestseller lists.
Hellmann’s, known for its irreverent brand tone, used this limited-run drop (only 1,000 copies) to mix fandom and flavor. The book is available through Armentrout’s own Miss Willa’s Bookshop in West Virginia, and fans visiting in person even get a free bottle of Hellmann’s Garlic Aioli to take home.
The activation extends far beyond the printed page: a behind-the-scenes video shows how the garlic ink was developed and tested, while themed recipes and reading-club kits bring the book’s fantasy world into fans’ kitchens.
Armentrout herself joined the fun by sharing TikToks of her signing not only books… but also mayonnaise bottles and garlic cloves. The result? A brilliantly absurd marketing moment that proves with enough humor, and a pinch of garlic, even a mayonnaise brand can go viral in the world of fantasy fiction.
