Posted by Nutella Makes its Outer Space Debut with Artemis II
Nutella may have launched its most wide-reaching and memorable advertisement ever—without even trying.
When the crew of Artemis II appeared during a NASA livestream earlier this week, the astronauts were celebrating setting a record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from earth—exceeding that of Apollo 13. Four minutes before hitting that milestone, a jar of Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread was seen floating weightlessly through the cabin of the spacecraft during the live feed.
It was an unscripted moment. But the clip immediately went viral. Needless to say, it was a stellar moment for Nutella, who didn’t mind benefiting from the universal coverage.
Nutella may hold the distinction of being the first chocolate hazelnut spread to reach outer space. But it’s not the first time nut butters have been used by astronauts. Peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut products like cashews, almonds, and peanut-based snacks have been in use since the days of Gemini and Apollo. Nut proteins are popular among astronauts for being calorie-dense, nutrient rich, and easy to consume in micro-gravity. Since they’re sticky, they don’t easily float away.
No doubt the Nutella brand is basking in the viewership achieved in that singular, unplanned moment. Reports cite up to 900,000 concurrent viewers across two NASA YouTube feeds, not to mention the viral shares that amassed hundreds of thousands of views in the following hours and days across social media and news sites. The simple, floating Nutella jar managed to reach millions in viewership alongside a major landmark in history.
Some comments on social media joked that Ferrero, the parent company for Nutella, had just received “the most valuable product placement imaginable—a free ad from space.”
Others questioned whether the moment was carefully timed. But NASA shut down those rumors in a statement by agency press secretary, Bethany Stevens, who said NASA “does not select crew meals or food in association with brand partnerships,” and confirmed the incident was not a result of product placement.
Well beyond the iconic Tang of the 70’s, the crew of Artemis II will reportedly enjoy a surprisingly varied menu that includes items like barbecue beef brisket, cauliflower, macaroni and cheese, broccoli au gratin, tortillas, hot sauce, and coffee. And of course, there’s the Nutella – which is often spread on crackers or tortillas for snacking.
Read more about Nutella’s out-of-this-world marketing achievement.