Barilla has always had great international sports champions among its testimonials. This is because Barilla sees the same passion values in sports and athletes as they do in their own products. Just like good pasta, sport brings people together - regardless of opinions and backgrounds.

One of Barilla’s longstanding partnerships has been with Federer. And with that partnership coming to a natural end with Roger’s retirement, Barilla wanted an unforgettable grand finale to celebrate their partnership one last time.

There were two restrictions in doing so. First of all, don’t place too much emphasis on the end of the partnership. And secondly, Federer had made it clear that he did not want to be put on a pedestal.

The main objective was to celebrate the partnership in a way that builds brand sympathy and brand (partnership) awareness. But most of all, a warm finale for the partnership with Federer.

We aimed to create something special and consistent with other Federer campaigns. Something that fits both Barilla’s brand essence of creating real moments of togetherness and Federer’s personality.

During the 2017 US Open, a fan and youth tennis player Izyan Ahmed (aka Zizou), challenged Federer to keep playing until he’d be old enough to play against him one day. The now-viral video saw Federer give Zizou his word along with a ‘pinky promise.’

Five years later, the GOAT announced his retirement from competition, and Barilla turned Federer’s promise into a true dream. Under the guise of a training camp, an unsuspecting Zizou was brought to Zurich to play against his hero in court. The rest is history, as Barilla and Federer gifted Zizou with ‘the best day of his life.’

The entire experience was seamlessly executed so Zizou would stay in the dark until he played his greatest game ever.

Authenticity and realness are the keywords in the PR strategy - this story brings Barilla's brand mission to life: creating real moments of togetherness by acts of love and care. Bringing two people together who share a joint passion, adding a layer of surprise, and Federer’s support for young talent created an opportunity that had to be seized.

“A sign of love” ties into the idea that it doesn’t take much to show that you care for someone, expressing love through a plate of pasta when words simply aren’t enough. In our PR strategy we focused on the messaging behind the film, expressing the authenticity of Federer’s gesture towards Zizou - a selfless act that means the world to a young fan - and giving focus to Federer as ambassador to ensure a connection to the sports community, positioning Barilla as a sustainable source of nutrients for athletes.

The collaboration with Federer reached peak relevance through its execution. Audiences today reject anything that doesn’t feel authentic, hence the reason this campaign had to be a real surprise for Zizou.

This meant there was no room for production error leading to the moment they met on court. A moment which generated genuine tears - Federer’s included.

The execution was built around the hero YouTube video that launched at the start of the US Open, 5 years prior to Federer making the promise.

Natives assets were used on Instagram and Facebook, resembling live videos and a well-known tennis act where players sign to the camera after winning a match. Together, these create a complete digital ecosystem driving traffic to the hero video.

The campaign received wide PR coverage, attracting a broad spectrum of media outlets in 124 different countries. Entertainment and sports titles such as Buzzfeed, Foxsports and Sportbible, and lifestyle and news websites such as El Pais, The Drum and Vogue, were some of the 109 different online outlets that shared the 3.5 minute video. Due to this colossal reach, all kpi’s were knocked out of the park, reaching more than 402 million people. It’s safe to say “The Promise” went viral, gaining major attention both in PR and organic reach.

- 1.9 million engagements on owned global channels

- 96 million estimated total views (owned & earned)

- 28 million accumulated hero video views

Organically, the content outpaced a previous viral Barilla video (Rooftop Match) and comments showed that viewers link the brand to its initiative to fulfill a promise, not just to Federer. Barilla was mentioned in 20% of the comments, with some stating they would start purchasing the pasta. This may not be a sign of conversion, but shows that people associate the video with Barilla.

The sentiment was positive, with 57% liking or engaging while 42% shared the content.