Barilla pays tribute to 'resilient Italy' in ad narrated by Sophia Loren

Emotional spot by Publicis Italy is set to rousing music by Vangelis

Published On
Apr 07, 2020

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Barilla, the Italian pasta brand, pays tribute to "resilient Italy" and thanks key workers in an emotive spot from Publicis Itlay. 

Narrated by iconic Italian film star Sophia Loren and set to rousing music by Vangelis, the spot opens on empty Italian cityscapes and then shows footage of people waving the Italian flag from balconies and playing music from their windows. It goes on to show gratitude for hard-toiling healthcare workers, supermarket staff, food manufacturers (including on the Barilla production line), pharmacists and more. 

According to Publicis, the video was made mostly from stock bank footage after contacting reporters who are covering pandemic news. Some footage was shot inside Barilla factory with special permission. Loren donated her voice pro bono. 

As well as making the spot, Barilla has donated a total of over 2 million Euros to efforts to fight coronavirus. Beneficiaries include the Maggiore Hospital of Parma, the Civil Protection and the Parma Red Cross.