Serving up songs, one pasta at a time: Cooking brought generations together in this campaign!
| From the desk of Miles Everson: Hello! Welcome to today’s edition of “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!” For those of you who don’t know this yet, guerrilla marketing is an unconventional strategy. Such tactics remind us that marketing our brand or offerings doesn’t always have to be too traditional or “boxed.” Today, I’m excited to share with you a clever and creative execution of this strategy. Continue reading to know how one brand used cooking as a tool to bring generations together. |
Serving up songs, one pasta at a time: Cooking brought generations together in this campaign! Sometimes, the most unforgettable stories don’t start with fireworks or fanfare. Some begin quietly—in the back of a cupboard, tucked in next to the salt and lentils. Imagine reaching for a bag of alphabet pasta, ready to whip up something simple and cozy, only to realize you’re not just cooking dinner… You’re also about to take part in a musical journey, a cultural revival, and possibly, the most delicious history lesson of your life! Yes, this really happened… but not in a marketing meeting. This happened at dinner tables in Croatia in March 2024— with a spoon. When Pasta Sings In the picturesque region of Međimurje, Croatia, folk songs—or “Popevke”—have long been the soul of the community for generations. In fact, in 2018, these songs were inscribed on UNESCO ’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The condition? They will only be able to keep this status IF people continue singing them. The thing is, as time marched on and tastes (and Spotify playlists) evolved, these songs began to fade from the collective memory. Oh no… Thankfully, Marodi, a Croatian pasta brand, saw this as an opportunity not just to market its product but also to preserve the spirit of a region. So, rather than launch another predictable campaign, they teamed up with the creative powerhouse Bruketa&Žinić&Grey to do something radically different. Together, they asked: “What if pasta could sing?” Enter “A Soup to Remember: Songs That You Can Eat with a Spoon.” This campaign turned alphabet pasta into edible lyrics and everyday meals into moments of cultural connection.
Here’s the beauty of the campaign: Marodi didn’t just tell people to care about tradition; the brand also invited them to taste it, spell it, and share it. How? By creating 200 copies of a limited-edition collection of five books, each one paired with bags of alphabet pasta!
Inside those pages were time-honored folk songs from Međimurje… and within the pasta bags were the literal letters to spell the songs out. COOL! Children in schools and kindergartens were encouraged to play with their Marodi food—yes, with full approval from adults! Kids spelled out verses in their bowls. Teachers shared stories behind the lyrics. Parents rediscovered the songs they once sang with their own grandparents.
Simply said, the campaign strategy was GENIUS! It was a sensory, emotional, and hands-on way to embed tradition into the hearts of a new generation. Spreading the Flavor: Going Beyond the Kitchen The campaign was launched with local fanfare and support from the Međimurje County government. In fact, the campaign made such an impact that November 28 was officially declared the Day of Popevka, a holiday dedicated to honoring the region’s folk songs. Let that sink in: A marketing campaign sparked the creation of a new cultural holiday! … and this wasn’t just a regional stunt; national and international media also picked up the story. Social media exploded with photos of pasta-shaped lyrics. In other words, the public didn’t just “engage.” They also sang, cooked, posted, AND remembered. What other results did Marodi generate through the campaign?
Congratulations, Marodi and Bruketa&Žinić&Grey! The Final Scoop Generally, guerrilla marketing is tough. After all, you’re competing with attention spans shorter than a TikTok loop, and everyone’s seen a “viral stunt” before. However, this campaign succeeded because:
… and the best part? It was FUN! At a time when brands often scream to be seen, Marodi decided to sing softly with heart and through a spoon. Basically, “A Soup to Remember” didn’t just sell pasta; it sold honor, history, laughter, memory, and belonging. So, next time you’re stirring a pot of alphabet soup, ask yourself: “What song is in your spoon?” Because if you’re lucky—really lucky—it might just be the taste of a marketing homerun. Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how one supermarket brand won runners’ hearts with trail mix and marketing tricks? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
