• by Steve Ellwanger , July 21, 2022

Can an olive tell you how to cook?

It can if it’s Olivia, the first-ever brand mascot for Italian-foods importer Colavita USA.

More specifically, Olivia is positioned in a new campaign as an “epicurean olive”—complete with a white chef’s hat and lots of culinary advice.

“We wanted a spokesperson to infuse our brand with personality,” Colavita USA creative marketing director Elana Iaciofano tells Marketing Daily.

“A knowledgeable but witty and energetic olive seemed a great personification of our brand—and so Olivia was born."

The lure of animated characters is that they “appeal to a broad range of age groups.”

Olivia was inspired by the 1950s cult classic Italian series “Carosello,” which often used live action, animation and puppetry to entertain and inform audiences.

Developed and produced by the Scomunica agency, Olivia makes a noisy but wordless debut in this brief spot.

Going forward, she will offer culinary tips on Instagram and the Colavita website.

Best known for its “extra-virgin” olive oils and pastas, the brand decided it needed a mascot at a time when the pandemic encouraged more at-home eating—which can be stressful.

“Our hope is that this quirky character will inspire families to keep cooking together, bringing play back into meal prep,” Iaciofano says.

In addition to her presence on Instagram, Olivia is being featured in signage like truck wraps and event billboards—one example being an outdoor movie series in New Jersey.

“Animated characters have always had their place alongside food lore, from Popeye and his spinach to Scooby and his snacks, Garfield’s lasagna and Minions and their bananas,” Iaciofano says.