The Internet Has a Lot to Say About the Nutella Jar Floating Around in Artemis II

One rule of advertising is to never make a product placement feel forced or desperate. Instead, it should flow seamlessly with whatever's going on, and be more of a subliminal message than something shoved into a person's face. That's why a lot of ads display a particular lifestyle or moment created with the aid of the advertised product, rather than a sole focus on the product itself.

Well, it seems that Nutella has unintentionally received the best advertisement of the year. A jar of the hazelnut and chocolate spread was spotted floating around the Artemis II Orion spacecraft. Naturally, the internet has a lot to say about the clip!

During an April 6 livestream of the mission, a jar of Nutella was spotted floating around the astronauts. While the crew didn't seem to think anything of it, viewers were amused by the sight of a dessert spread just casually tagging along for a space mission. Obviously, the astronauts need to eat, and why not eat Nutella, but it's not exactly the first food that comes to mind when thinking about nutrients one might find on a spacecraft.

Of course, the internet lit up with comments about how this is exceptional advertising for Nutella, and the company must be thrilled. Referencing the show Mad Men, which is based on an advertising firm, one Threads user wrote, "A whole jar of Nutella floating by the camera minutes before Artemis II breaks the Apollo 13 record is the kind of generational advertising campaign that would make Don Draper think it’s too impossible to script."

An Instagram user humorously wrote, "I guess the marketing team is over the moon now." Meanwhile, people have been making their own versions of the viral clip, now with remixes and sound effects.

NASA chooses the foods that will be taken on a spacecraft via three criteria: nutritional needs, spacecraft requirements, and crew preferences. Clearly, Nutella made the cut for this specific mission.

NASA Public Affairs Specialist Victoria Segovia told People, "Personal preference plays an important role in menu planning because familiar foods can help support morale, variety, and overall menu acceptability during the mission. At the same time, every item still has to meet the mission’s nutritional, food safety, and operational requirements." That makes perfect sense; after all, who would want to be stuck on a spacecraft with hangry astronauts?

While this may all seem a bit silly and inconsequential, Nutella floating around Artemis II gives people a sense of familiarity with the mission. Some may not fully understand the implications of the trip, some may not be interested in space exploration, but pretty much everyone can enjoy the fun of a silly clip going viral and bringing people amusement. No, that clip isn't the most important element of Artemis II's journey, but it's probably the most relatable one.