Behind the Bread Brand Repositioning the Reputation of Hosting

It might not surprise you to learn that from coast to coast, Canadians have expressed a strong as-of-late desire to spend more time with friends and family. After all, the pandemic is still an all-too-recent memory, hustle culture is cutting into leisure time, and, broadly speaking, meaningful personal relationships are a good remedy to stressors – of which, at the moment, there seem to be many.

Unfortunately, ‘desire’ is the operative word here. As much as people might want more moments with those they care about, these aforementioned factors, among others, make it difficult to actually turn sentiment into action. Case in point, as creative agency King Ursa discovered, courtesy of an NIQ study, 51% of Canadians entertain guests at home less than once a month… even as dining out declines.

While this is a somewhat bleak statistic, it did, however, provide a great creative opportunity for Canadian bread brand Villaggio to capitalise on with the agency’s help. Recognising that a further deterrent to hosting is undoubtedly the fact that it can be a stressful endeavour – sometimes, it feels more about impressing guests than simply enjoying a quality hang – the two decided to remind Canadians that this undertaking can actually be a lot more low-key than expected, with a brand new platform. Championed by a 30-second spot featuring delicious-looking food, an awkward but goofy meet-cute scenario, and an accented, talking loaf of bread, it’s fun work which serves to underscore the brand’s new positioning: with the right loaf, good company, and some tastefully-selected music, you’ve already nailed the hosting gig.

To learn more about how this came to life, and why the approach was right for the brand at this moment in time, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with King Ursa’s VP strategy, Jenn Green, as well as creative directors Brandon Tralman-Baker and Bruce Harris, for a chat.

LBB> What was the brief for this campaign, and what immediate ideas came to mind?

Jenn> The brief was more of a business problem than a clear ask. Villaggio was in significant decline; while the clients had explored a few new positioning directions, the results didn’t inspire much confidence. So, we stepped back and took a fresh look – at the brand’s history, the competitive landscape, and the shifting consumer mindset. The conclusion was clear: it was time to evolve Villaggio.

We knew that the brand had positive associations with Italian villages and strong product enjoyment scores, but that it lacked emotional resonance. And in the bread category, that matters… a lot. In fact, meaningfulness is the number one driver of brand loyalty.

Through a rigorous strategic planning process, including consumer research, we uncovered a powerful human tension: people want to spend more time breaking bread with friends and family, but feel held back. The pressure of meal prep – often self-imposed – and the rising cost of living were getting in the way.

Our solution aligned perfectly with Villaggio’s core usage moment: shared meals. Practically, Villaggio delivers crowd-pleasing meals without the stress of complicated prep. Emotionally, the brand became an ally, here to dismantle hosting anxiety and show Canadians that ‘host’ isn’t just a four-letter word.

LBB> Specifically, the decision to unpack the intimidating nature of hosting is very interesting. What made this the right direction for both the creative and the brand, as well as an important demographic to target?

Bruce & Brandon> Tension is key when it comes to creative, and what’s more tense than getting everything ready for a dinner party? The planning, the prepping, the ‘is this enough food or way too much?’ existential crisis... that’s fertile ground. It gave us lots of ways for Villaggio to enter the conversation (or the kitchen) and help break the ice, or better yet, break the bread.

Our target audience is also spending more time at home. They’re budget-conscious, they value comfort, and the pandemic rewired a lot of social habits. This direction met them where they are, offering a realistic, feel-good solution to a very real problem.

LBB> Building on this, what was your research process like? How did you ensure your message would resonate with consumers?

Jenn> We combined social listening, one-on-one interviews, media audits, and a deep dive into the competitive landscape.

To make sure the positioning would resonate across Canada – with English speakers, French speakers, and new Canadians – we developed a positioning manifesto and tested it using Zappi with David Sklar & Associates. The results gave us the confidence to go all in on a lifestyle-driven message, marking a clear shift from category norms.

LBB> From here, what was the writing process like? How did your insights give way to talking bread and funny yet insightful dialogue to match?

Bruce & Brandon> Whether it’s a casual hangout or a formal event, every host wants to impress – especially when one of the guests happens to be a crush. We leaned into that romantic tension, because, let’s be honest, there’s more at stake with a meet-cute.

Luckily, the host’s spread was on point thanks to Villaggio – the co-host and unexpected wingman you didn’t know you needed, but now can’t imagine hosting without.

LBB> The food looks delicious! How did you ensure that the final product was a treat for the eyes?

Bruce & Brandon> Two words: Andrew Bullis. He’s an incredible food stylist. We worked together to craft recipes that were inspiring but still doable. Nothing too fancy, just beautiful, simple dishes that made you want to lick your screen.

The hardest part? Resisting the urge to eat everything before the shoot wrapped.

LBB> Do you have any anecdotes from on set? How was the filming process as a whole?

Bruce & Brandon> Well, we shot on February 13th, right as Toronto shut down due to that major snowstorm. But even with the crazy weather chaos, Merchant’s production team kept everything running smoothly.

The actors were fantastic, but the real star? The animatronic bread, brought to life by a puppeteer who controlled its every move via remote. Mesmerising, hilarious, and surprisingly lifelike.

LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?

Jenn> As a national brand, Villaggio needed one campaign that could resonate across both Quebec and English-speaking Canada. That’s no small feat. So, we had two concepts in development and tested both using boardamatics. The talking Villaggio loaf was the clear winner. This idea hit a chord – it felt relatable, entertaining, and ownable.

Aside from that, and a surprise snowstorm, the process was surprisingly smooth.

LBB> Since launch, how have people reacted to this campaign?

Jenn> It’s still early days for sales data, but we’re already hearing great things anecdotally. Stakeholders are excited, and even the friends-and-family circle has taken notice, which is always a good sign that the message is landing.

LBB> Is this a direction you’ll continue to move in with Villaggio down the line? What can people expect from this new brand platform?

Jenn> Absolutely. This platform was built for longevity; it’s rooted in human, cultural, and brand truths.

The insecure romantic host is just one creative expression. Based on the development so far, we’re confident this platform has legs. It’s entertaining, it’s relevant, and it gives us space to grow.

LBB> Finally, has this campaign made you rethink the hosting experience?

Brandon> Definitely. Older generations went all out – buffets, fine china, the whole nine yards. We grew up thinking that to impress, you had to go big.

But, Villaggio shows us that sometimes, all you need is a loaf of bread and a little creativity. Best of all, you’ll actually get to enjoy your own party – something my parents never quite figured out.