Barilla has launched a campaign of eight Spotify playlists, to coincide with their suggested pasta cooking times.
The campaign was led by Publicis Italy, in order to provide musical accompaniment for people cooking Barilla’s pasta products. Each playlist ranges from 9-11 minutes and combines the four most popular music genres in Italy (pop, hip hop, indie and ‘hits from the past’). Playlists include ‘Pleasant Melancholy Penne’ and ‘Mixtape Spaghetti.’ The playlists feature artists like Jay-Z, MF Doom, Harry Styles and The Beatles. Barilla has also stated that playlists will be updated cyclically, to include new artists.
“A playlist of great classics that lasts the cooking time of your fusilli. With the Playlist Timer, you can cook pasta to the beat of the music.” – Barilla, on their ‘Timeless Emotion Fusilli’ playlist
Although, Barilla aren’t the only brands using Spotify to their advantage. In 2019, Spotify and J. Walter Thompson Brazil created a way to turn the platform’s songs into recipes. The ‘Flavor of Songs’ campaign was developed by neuroscientists, looking into the concept of synesthesia to be able to ‘hear your food.’
In 2019, KFC released their ‘Bucket Bangers’ playlist, compiled by agency Sid Lee Paris. The tracks featured were ones that referenced the fast food chain, like Kayne West’s ‘Touch the Sky.’
So, although the idea of integrating Spotify into mainstream company marketing is not necessarily a new thing, Barilla’s campaign looks like a functional and useful way to improve our day to day lives.
