Barilla is serving up more than pasta with its latest global campaign — it’s offering a call for connection. With Tastes Like Family, the iconic Italian brand launches a new platform built on a simple yet powerful idea: sharing a meal has the power to bring people closer, even in a world that feels increasingly divided.
The centerpiece of the campaign is a cinematic film directed by Stefano Sollima, with music by Oscar-winning composer Nicola Piovani and visual design by Leonardo Sonnoli. Crafted by creative agency LePub and planned globally by Publicis Connected Ideas, the campaign draws inspiration from a true story rooted in two quintessential Italian symbols: pasta and Formula 1.
The film revisits the life of Luigi Montanini, affectionately known as Pasticcino (“Cupcake” in Italian), a traveling cook who became an unlikely icon in the Formula 1 paddocks of the late 1970s and 1980s. For more than a decade, Montanini turned the high-pressure world of racing into a space for warmth and connection, dishing up plates of pasta that united drivers, mechanics and team members between races.
In today’s world, where 63% of people eat their weekday meals alone, Barilla’s message feels more urgent than ever. Tastes Like Family is a reminder to pause, gather and reconnect through small, meaningful rituals. “We launched Tastes Like Family to respond to a universal need: the longing for deeper connection,” said Ilaria Lodigiani, Chief Category and Marketing Officer at Barilla. “Food is more than nourishment — it is a gesture of generosity and a bridge between people.”
To ensure authenticity, Barilla meticulously recreated the look and feel of a 1970s Formula 1 paddock, consulting professional racing historians to replicate every detail — from the cars and gear to the lighting and camaraderie.
“With Tastes Like Family we wanted to express a cultural truth: no matter how fast life moves, the simple act of sharing a meal keeps us grounded,” said Bruno Bertelli, Global CEO and CCO of LePub Worldwide.
Sollima brought his trademark realism and cinematic intensity to the project, while Piovani’s music adds an emotional, memory-like quality and Sonnoli’s design ties the campaign to Barilla’s heritage in Parma. Together, the trio has crafted a narrative that feels timeless, intimate and deeply Italian.
The film marks the first installment in a series of global activations that will roll out across TV, digital, social, outdoor, and other media throughout 2025. Each market will adapt the campaign locally while staying true to Barilla’s core message: pasta is never just food — it’s about the people around the table and the shared moments that make us feel like family.
