P.A.N. Cornmeal
Harina P.A.N.
Crisp content and crispy arepas served to a whole new continent
When the world’s largest cornmeal company wants to invade the U.S. with their crispy frisbees, what do they do? Assemble a team of elite creatives, set hard deadlines, and may the best idea win. Such is how the “All of P.A.N.” campaign was born. I created direct response campaigns, press releases, served as a translator, wrote video subtitles, and advised their social media team on this tasty project. I also came up with some of the main concepts upon which these global campaigns are based, including using the word “All” in All of P.A.N.
A Freaky Greek Goat God and a Suffix
Where is no one looking? We’re selling bags of cornmeal powder that get turned into little cakes. It’s so mundane and every day, especially for Venezuelans; how do we reach a broader audience? With its crispy texture and ability to pair with an array of dishes, why not say it combines with “All” cuisines?
Pangea, pandemonium, panoramic…pandemic…the suffix P.A.N. = All. Pan is also the Greek God of the wilderness, which would have made for a loony campaign, but that got iced quickly. That said, the previous concept emerged victorious.
P.A.N. cornmeal combines well with ALL cuisines, arepas are a fun meal choice in ALL situations, and P.A.N. is meant to be enjoyed by ALL people. This concept birthed our initial campaigns, some of which are still running four years later.
The Arepa Expansion
When tasked with introducing and expanding the Arepa as a global dish, we knew mouth-watering visual content and compelling storytellers would drive the message home best. Those two don’t necessarily grow on trees, so this call to action for all present and future Arepa enthusiasts started with a bunch of influencer outreach, location scouting, and a few daily press releases.
By inviting our audience to explore “the Arepa” as a dish and see how it can be infused with different cuisines from around the world (e.g., Indian, Mediterranean, Peruvian, Thai, Spanish, etc.), we reinforced its versatility and ability to pair ideally with a wide variety of multi-cultural flavors.
The Arepa Expansion concept was executed through engaging social media campaigns, brand ambassadorship, celebrity chef recipe tutorials, and pop-up restaurants around the world, including Madrid, New York, and Miami. We also pitched two online docuseries: the light-hearted “Destination: Arepa” and the more in-depth and personal “Arepa Diaries.”
Destination: Arepa (CONCEPT)
Global Arepa Makers
In this fast-paced docuseries, we can showcase the different corners of the world where our beloved arepa has made itself at home and run quick featurettes about the hottest spots to down some quality arepas. The videos would be short and upbeat, featuring quick, stylized cuts, interviews with patrons, and some behind-the-scenes shots of how the magic batter is made using harina P.A.N.
We love themes and countdowns, so featuring quarterly top 10 lists, recently opened “areperas” (arepa joints), and up-and-coming chefs would be a must. All events and promos will be announced on our social media. The concept could be an excellent tool for people to use the next time they crave an arepa, and it would be an enormous peacock feather in any arepa restaurant owner’s cap.
P.A.N. People
The brand ambassador and influencer train gathers steam by the second and P.A.N. has jumped on board with its P.A.N. People campaign. This execution features athletes, chefs, musicians, and visual artists eager to share stories of how P.A.N. has nourished their lives and experiences. You see, their products may still be on the fringes in U.S. supermarkets, but P.A.N. cornmeal has been a staple in Venezuelan kitchens since 1960.
Besides sharing a meal, stories are the most immediate way to connect to someone. Be it the delicious aroma from the legendary street vendor around the corner on a night out or how mom mixes her batter with all the love in the world and makes each arepa more perfect than the last. P.A.N. People share their fondest memories or personal recipes using the ever-versatile P.A.N. cornmeal.
These stories are as varied as the flavors that pair with their products. The Venezuelan diaspora spans continents, so this is an “Arepa Expansion” seen through the lens of integration.
Memphis Style BBQ Arepas
The main idea behind “All In One—P.A.N.” campaign was introducing a versatile, crunchy, an alternative to the monotony of sandwiches, tacos, and other typical handheld foods. The arepa can satiate that hunger for something new and and expand our audience so that they too can share their own story and add a beautiful new chapter to the P.A.N. cornmeal narrative.