The Barilla pasta brand's commercial featuring Roger Federer turned out like an over-seasoned pasta. What happened?
Perhaps thanks to my background in sports marketing, I tend to click on ads featuring elite athletes more quickly. However, despite the appearance of a world-famous tennis player in the Barilla commercial, my initial curiosity was almost immediately mixed with a sense of discomfort.
Yet the casting choice cannot be criticized. Roger Federer one of the most successful competitors in tennis history, Davide Oldanine is a true master chef, the 51-year-old ambassador of Italian cuisine, author of numerous popular cookbooks, whose restaurant boasts a Michelin star.
The commercial is driven by the contrasting personalities of the two legends in a scenario where one participant is „playing on home turf.” This tension works initially. The spot begins with Federer’s entrance, as he confidently walks into the restaurant with a smile on his face and a monogrammed sports bag on his shoulder. This confidence dissipates the moment Oldanine invites him into his kitchen with a strong Italian accent (and a thrown kitchen towel): the 37-year-old tennis legend quickly transforms into a cook beside the strict chef. (Did everyone notice the Nike logo on the sports bag from which the chef's hat emerged? This is only visible in the longer two-minute version).
By the time the Barilla pasta hits the hot water, the tennis star also becomes more experienced in the kitchen. Numerous tennis moves can be spotted in the slow-motion shots: the frying pan spins like a racket, and for a moment, even the tomato transforms into a tennis ball before the participants chop it as an ingredient. The expertly sprinkled basil almost evokes the movements of master chefs, but Oldanine's grimace reveals that there is still room for improvement...
This is a nice but not very original commercial, built on a well-tested recipe. Yet there is one ingredient in it that makes the flavors strangely come together: that is the music. What’s wrong with the music choice? An Italian chef cooks to the tune of the Greek Sirtaki with a Swiss tennis player. This basic setup is very similar to the immortal lines of Jenő Rejtő:
„There were representatives of four different nationalities at the table: an American foot soldier, a French corporal, an English machine gunner, and a Russian meat salad.”.
Unfortunately, the Greek line could not be deciphered, despite the fact that the brand's social media platforms were almost immediately flooded with confused comments. What does Federer have to do with the Greeks? Or Sirtaki with Italian cuisine? Isn't there a musical motif in Italian history that fits with Barilla pasta?
According to the official explanation, Barilla's choice of music was intentional: it aimed to strengthen „the Mediterranean style.”.
Is it possible that no one noticed the mistake in the music choice within the agency? Or is it something entirely different? Did the proud Italians of the national gastro-culture wish to resolve the Greek-Roman contradiction traceable to antiquity with the assistance of a neutral Swiss? In any case, nationalist Italian commentators think quite differently: since the advertisement was published, confused voices regarding the music choice have not quieted on social media platforms. Which, of course, is good for viewership: the short version of the Masters of Pasta advertisement on YouTube has nearly 33 million (!) views.
With a kitchen analogy, this can also be explained by saying that a not particularly exciting advertisement was worth seasoning with a rather unusual ingredient.
Agency: 72andSunny Amsterdam
