Napolina’s first Pablo campaign ditches Italian cliche for clumsy British cooks
Updated: 6 days ago
TL;DR: Napolina has launched ‘Now You’re Cooking’, its first platform from agency Pablo, built on the idea that good ingredients make cooking easy even for the hopeless — and ditching glossy Italian imagery for humour.
The new platform
Napolina, part of Princes Group, has unveiled ‘Now You’re Cooking’, its first campaign since appointing Pablo earlier in 2026. The idea is deliberately unglamorous: good ingredients make a good meal achievable even for a clumsy cook, with launch spots showing a hapless home cook who still nails a spaghetti bolognese.
The work rolls out through October 2026 across TV, VOD, digital and out-of-home, with more to follow in 2027. The TV was directed by Craig Ainsley at Arts & Sciences, and the brand describes it as a new wave of investment, though no spend figure has been disclosed.
Why the anti-aspirational angle is smart
Food marketing defaults to romance — sun-drenched Italian kitchens and flawless plating. Napolina is betting that real British households, mess and all, are more relatable and more persuasive, because they lower the perceived barrier to actually cooking.
When the message is ‘you can do this’ rather than ‘look how perfect this is’, the product becomes the enabler of a small everyday win. That is a sharper sales argument for a store-cupboard staple than provenance cues alone.
What marketers can learn
A new agency relationship is a chance to reset a category’s conventions, not just refresh the logo. Pablo’s first move is a tonal shift — humour and realism — that gives Napolina a distinct voice against glossier rivals.
For any brand in a crowded FMCG aisle, consider whether self-deprecating realism would out-perform aspiration with your shoppers. Often the most effective creative removes a barrier rather than raising an ideal.
Quick FAQ
What is Napolina’s ‘Now You’re Cooking’?
It is Napolina’s new brand platform and its first campaign from agency Pablo, using humour and real British cooks to show that good ingredients make home cooking easy — even for the hopeless.
Which agency made it?
Pablo led the creative, having been appointed by Napolina earlier in 2026; the launch TV ad was directed by Craig Ainsley at Arts & Sciences.
Where and when is it running?
It is rolling out through October 2026 across TV, VOD, digital and out-of-home, with further work planned for 2027.
The bravest thing a food brand can do right now is stop being aspirational. Napolina’s new work sells capability, not perfection — and ‘you can actually make this’ is a far stronger reason to buy than another sun-drenched Italian kitchen. Expect more grocery brands to follow that honesty. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Removing the barrier to action can beat raising an ideal — Napolina is selling confidence in the kitchen, not a fantasy of it.
Would your customers respond better to aspiration or to honest, you-can-do-this realism?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Creative Salon and Campaign.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
