Publicis Italy has become Barilla’s lead global agency, replacing 72andSunny.

The agency’s first global campaign for the brand positions pasta as a sign of love that can express the things too hard to say in words. It’s led by a 90-second spot that shows how pasta can be the little gift that shows you care about those you love. The film was directed by Saverio Costanzo, known for directing directed the Italian-American TV series, My Brilliant Friend, and the film, The Solitude of Prime Numbers, for which he was nominated for a David di Donatello Award. Underlining its message is a version of, Beautiful that Way, the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning film La Vita è Bella, performed by Noa.  

The campaign is running in 40 countries throughout the world.

Gianluca Di Tondo, global chief marketing officer at Barilla, stated, “This new global brand position marks a historic moment for Barilla. The brand has managed to rediscover the classicism of its most iconic campaigns while adapting it perfectly to the challenges of our time. Today we all need to feel more human, closer, and a sign of love can make all the difference.”

Cristiana Boccassini, chief creative officer at Publicis Italy, added, “It is a privilege to work with Barilla, one of the most loved and well-known Italian brands in the world, with an extraordinary history that continues to evolve, always leaving its mark. It is a love brand with which we feel we have a unique affinity in terms of values and growth path, and we are more than happy to support our client-facing a new exiting global challenge.”

The new brand positioning will appear on TV, in digital, social, out of home and retail.

Publicis Italy also created Barilla’s Spotify playlists whose length corresponds to the perfect cooking time for various pastas:

Other work includes Roger Federer’s tennis match across rooftops via We Are Social:

And an absolute gem by Alkemy:

Credits:

Agency: Publicis Italy
Global Chief Creative Officer Publicis WW: Bruno Bertelli
Chief Creative Officer Publicis Italy: Cristiana Boccassini
Executive Creative Director: Riccardo Fregoso
Creative Directors: Stefano Battistelli & Marco Viganò
Associate Creative Directors: Stefano Zanoni & Roberto Ardigò
Art Director: Giulia Di Filippo
Digital Art Director: Mattia Leporale
Digital Copywriter: Jacopo Trotta
Strategists: Bela Ziemann, Monica Radulescu, Ornella Ciot & Margherita Tuvo
Account Management: David Pagnoni, Federica Papetti, Alberto De Simone &Dario Gambera
Head of Social: Alessandro Bochicchio
Head of TV Production: Francesca Zazzera
TV Producers: Alessio Zazzera & Antonella Capella
Art Buyer: Caterina Collesano

Production Company: BRW Filmland
Director: Saverio Costanzo
Chairman: Marco Bussinello
Executive Producer: Luca Orlando
Head of Production: Claudio Cicoli
Production Manager : Cristina De Rossi
DOP: Fabio Cianchetti
Director & DOP (food): Luca Robecchi

Post Production: Tex s.r.l.
Post Production Supervisor: Nicola Scarpinato
Editors: Fabrizio Squeo & Stuart Greenwald
Finishing: Vfx s.r.l.
Vfx Supervisors: Marco Negri & Mirko de Angelis