Mutti nails fan obsession in bold OOH campaign

Mutti and independent agency WiredCo have turned a fan’s tomato-inspired manicure into a large-format out-of-home campaign.

The work is the latest chapter of ‘Confessions of a Muttiholic’, a platform built around customer submissions describing their devotion to the preserved tomato brand.

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From fan confession to fingertips

The execution features detailed Mutti nail art wrapped around the brand’s tomato cans, accompanied by the headline “MUTTIHOLIC”. It is running across premium OOH sites and major commuter stations.

Nail artist Bernice Hew created the miniature designs by hand. The artwork includes Mutti cans, tomatoes and illustrations inspired by Italy, with the production process also captured for social content.

“The response to ‘Confessions of a Muttiholic’ has shown us that people don’t just buy Mutti, they genuinely love it,” said Samantha Filocamo, marketing director at Mutti ANZ.

“When we heard about someone creating Mutti nail art, we knew it perfectly captured the spirit of the platform. It’s playful, unexpected and a wonderful reminder that our biggest fans proudly wear their love for the brand in ways we could never have imagined.”

Joe Stuart, creative director at WiredCo, said nail art had become a canvas for people’s cultural and food obsessions.

“From dirty martinis to glazed donuts and gummy bears, people’s biggest and tastiest passions are ending up on their fingertips,” Stuart said.

“So, we gave that cultural phenomenon a Mutti makeover, turning tomato nails into a badge of devotion to Mutti. The craftsmanship was incredible, and we loved taking a genuine fan confession and quite literally nailing it.”

Scaling the campaign across OOH

WiredCo prioritised large-format sites and sequential placements to build recognition throughout commuters’ journeys. A targeted digital component supports the outdoor campaign as people travel home and search for dinner inspiration.

“The media strategy was designed to turn a visually distinctive idea into maximum impact,” said Ollie Carthy, head of paid media and strategy at WiredCo.

“We prioritised large-format sites and sequential placements across major commuter stations, giving the work the scale and repetition needed to build recognition across the journey.”

WiredCo said the broader platform has helped Mutti become Australia’s fastest-growing preserved tomato brand. It has extended across earned media, social, content and advertising, including an earlier campaign fronted by Matildas captain Sam Kerr.

Samantha Nunura, general manager at WiredCo, said the team wanted the manicure to feel authentic rather than like an advertising prop.

“We wanted to create nail art that people would genuinely want to wear. Every tiny detail was handcrafted with the same level of care Mutti puts into its tomatoes, making the work feel less like advertising and more like a piece of culture.”