Barilla, however, has a murky past when it comes to their stance on LGBT+ issues. Following an appearance on Italian radio show ‘La Zanzara’, the group’s CEO Guido Barilla came under fire nationwide in 2013 after saying that there would never be Barilla “spot con omosessuali”. In an apology he clarified that he was happy for people to do what made them happy in private, but still maintained that Barilla was a family brand but LGBT families were not representative of its values, as if they are in some way lesser than nuclear families. I smell dehumanisation!
It is reasonable, then, to view the collaboration with a brand which so overtly celebrates diversity as anything from pandering to exploitation, or even an attempt by the pasta company at backtracking on its original stance since it is difficult to trust that the Chairman has really had such a drastic change of heart regarding the validity of queer lives. Nevertheless, the ad is a beautiful celebration of the art produced by Cohen and Calza and a really interesting way of engaging an untapped audience with such an important Italian brand that celebrates what it means to be different.
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Oli Bricknell