Olivieri

We helped Olivieri trade special-occasion status for everyday relevance—turning a niche fresh pasta into a joyful ritual for busy families.

Olivieri: Reigniting Joy in the Fresh Pasta Aisle

Client Category
Fresh Food · CPG · Refrigerated Grocery

Services Provided
Brand Strategy · Packaging Design · Campaign Creative · Research · Media Buying · Influencer Marketing · Social Media

Business Challenge

Despite being Canada’s market leader in fresh pasta, Olivieri was experiencing a 3% sales decline and a growing gap in emotional relevance. Consumers still recognized the brand, but no longer felt a meaningful connection to it. With pressure from private labels, meal kits, and scratch cooking, Olivieri needed to reclaim distinction — and give shoppers a reason to choose fresh pasta again.

Strategic Insight

While most fresh pasta brands leaned into culinary prestige or “authentic Italian” cues, consumer research revealed a deeper need: emotional accessibility. People weren’t chasing restaurant-level refinement — they were looking for comfort and connection.

The opportunity was clear: position Olivieri as a bridge between weekday convenience and weekend joy. Something easy, but special. Familiar, but feel-good. A fresh pasta that gave people permission to bring Italian warmth to any Tuesday night.

Creative Solution

We built an integrated campaign around one powerful truth:
“The Joy of an Italian Meal.”

This wasn’t about Nonna’s Sunday sauce. It was about imperfect, midweek, beautifully normal moments — reframing fresh pasta as the spark that brings people together.

Brand Strategy & Messaging

• Positioned Olivieri as the brand that makes any night feel like a special occasion
• Developed emotional messaging that celebrated real life over idealized family dinner fantasies

Packaging Design

• Refreshed and unified the design system across SKUs
• Introduced ingredient-forward visuals and warmth cues to reinforce freshness and appetite appeal
• Simplified hierarchy to improve shelf impact and shopability

National Campaign

• Built a multichannel platform including broadcast, digital video, and shopper media
• Showcased relatable stories of joyful, messy, weekday pasta meals

Influencer & Social Campaigns

• Partnered with creators and real families to celebrate everyday dinnertime rituals
• Used real shared moments to deepen brand relatability

Media & Targeting

• Planned and bought media targeting high-index grocery decision-makers
• Delivered messaging in the moments when fresh pasta was top-of-mind — late afternoons and meal-planning windows

Results

📈 Reversed a 3% decline into 12% average quarterly growth
🛒 14% increase in baseline velocity, showing improved repeat purchase
🥇 +1.9 pts market share in a flat, competitive category
🛍️ Retailer confidence rebounded, driving improved placement and support
💬 Campaign outperformed benchmarks across digital and social engagement metrics

Category Takeaway

Olivieri’s turnaround didn’t come from product innovation — it came from meaning innovation.

In a category crowded with gourmet posturing and technical claims, we made fresh pasta feel human again. This work shows how brand strategy, packaging, and emotionally intelligent creative can reignite love — and drive performance.

For food & beverage brands stuck in the middle, the takeaway is clear:
Lead with emotion. Celebrate what’s real. Give people permission to feel joy again.

That’s how heroes become kings.