Barilla's New Spotify Playlists Are Also Timers for Cooking Pasta

Alongside Publicis Italy, Barilla inked a collaboration with Spotify and launched “Playlist Timer,” a curated music series where different playlists correspond to the cooking times of different pasta shapes.

The work corresponds to Barilla’s view that cooking is a form of art and entertainment (what else have we got to do in Covid times, anyway?). The chosen music corresponds to Italy’s four most popular genres: pop, hip-hop, indie and nostalgic music.

There are eight playlists total, and their titles peppily plug both pasta type and music style. Each one also comes sporting an album cover designed by a different internationally recognized Italian artist.

Mixtape Spaghetti, a chill hip-hop playlist, is nine minutes long, and features cover art by Van Orton (who also did the Clio Music graphics for the current awards cycle).

Boom Bap Fusilli, also hip-hop oriented, is illustrated by Nico189 and clocks in at 11 minutes. While skimming the playlists, it occurred to us that this is a neat opportunity to discover a diversity of Italian artists alongside more familiar ones for Anglo audiences.

Nas, right up against Gemitaiz? We’re about it (because what kind of Italophile just listens to “Guarda Come Dondolo” on repeat?).

Next is indie-oriented Pleasant Melancholy Penne, our favorite playlist … and, in a perfect cosmic coincidence, our most-used pasta type. This is also 11 minutes long, and features art by Fernando Cobelo.

Moody Day Linguini, another indie playlist, is charmingly inked by Alessandro Baronciani and takes 10 minutes.

Top Hits Spaghetti is illustrated by Carol Rollo and takes nine minutes. It sounds pretty much exactly like the colors below.

Best Song Penne is illustrated by Mauro Gatti and, like the previous playlist, is pop-oriented. It clocks 11 minutes.

Timeless Emotion Fusilli, also 11 minutes, is a fun nostalgia set. It leads strong with the Beatles’ “Help” before plunging you into Fabrizio De André’s charming, folksy “El pescatore.” Good vibes. Emiliano Ponzi is responsible for the winsome cover art that makes us miss the ’90s, and Walkmans.

Last up, Simply Classics Linguini, illustrated by Andrea Mongia, is 10 minutes long. Don’t let the cover art fool you; you won’t find any Velvet Underground or Pink Floyd here, but it’s still such a mood, mashing the Beach Boys and the Smiths up with Lucio Battisti and Caterina Caselli. *chef’s kiss*

Each wee playlist is punctuated by a short message from Barilla, reminding people of the work’s name and function: “When the music stops, the pasta will be ready. Buon appetito!” This is vaguely annoying, but not more than the standard Spotify ad. Plus, it helps remind regular users who brought these fine curations to them.

Tracks within the playlists will be updated from time to time, to encourage people to hold onto them and keep coming back. Who knows? Maybe pasta-making will lead you to better musical discoveries than Spotify’s actual discovery feature.

CREDITS

Global Chief Creative Officer Publicis WW: Bruno Bertelli
Chief Creative Officer Publicis Italy: Cristiana Boccassini
Executive Creative Director: Riccardo Fregoso
Associate Creative Director: Stefano Zanoni
Creative Supervisor: Roberto Ardigò
Digital Art Director: Mattia Leporale
Digital Copywriter: Jacopo Trotta
Global Client Service Director. David Pagnoni
Groupe Client Service Director: Federica Papetti
Account Manager: Dario Gambera
Head of Social Client Services and Strategy: Alessandro Bochicchio
Chief Strategy Officer. Bela Zienman
Strategy Director: Monica Radulescu
Senior Strategist: Margherita Tuvo
Head of Production: Francesca Zazzera
Senior Producer: Alessio Zazzera
Art Buyer: Caterina Collesano