Hiding from the police – Don Giulio Salumeria | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Hiding from the police - Don Giulio Salumeria | Clapboard Ad Archive

Don Giulio Salumeria’s Hiding from the police campaign, developed by The 23 for the Russian market in the Food & Drink category, demonstrates the rare power of contextual storytelling in out-of-home advertising when a growing geopolitical crisis threatens both brand viability and consumer access. Set in 2014 amid the Russian food embargo, the campaign positions this small Italian deli in central Moscow as a defiant purveyor of authentic imports—Italian products like Parmigiano—using metaphor and symbolism to dramatize the brand’s struggle. Playing out across urban outdoor spaces, the creative narrative stages the grocery’s products as fugitives eluding the authorities, a trope that speaks directly to the tension and absurdity of the embargo without reverting to literal or didactic communication. In what Clapboard’s taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#3—Symbolize the Problem, the campaign eschews direct political statements, instead leveraging a universally relatable motif of hiding and survival, which resonates powerfully with consumers denied the taste of real Italian cheese and cured meats. This narrative approach goes beyond mere cause marketing or topical opportunism; it remaps the consumer-brand relationship around shared resistance and nostalgia, giving Don Giulio Salumeria cultural relevance and emotional depth in an environment dominated by domestic alternatives and nationalistic messaging from giants like Miratorg, Cherkizovo, or Veles. The agency’s focus on a single, high-impact media asset in Russian maximizes relevance and engagement, as reflected in more than 600,000 views, while amplifying the campaign’s disruptive voice in the conversational landscape. Rather than overt calls to action or product demonstrations, the work relies on a playful but piercing analogy: imported delicacies are now precious enough to risk hiding, so the experience of Don Giulio is steeled with the thrill and camaraderie of eluding restriction, rather than just snacking on samplings. Such a creative device transforms adversity into brand equity, positioning the deli as not just a vendor but a guardian of threatened culinary heritage. The campaign earns 77/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. For the industry, this campaign stands as proof that even in high-pressure, heavily regulated environments, a deftly symbolic narrative can humanize a brand and galvanize consumer attachment.

Credits

Client

Don Giulio Salumeria

Agency

The 23

Creative Director

Evgeniy Shinyaev, Mikhail Tkachenko

Technology Director

Alexander Selifonov

Account Management

Vera Kriulets

Cinematographer

Nikolay Shinkarenko

Crew

Valeriy Oreshnikov

Category Mind Map

48%

The campaign for Don Giulio Salumeria, a small Italian deli in Moscow, unfolds against the backdrop of food sanctions imposed on Russia in 2014. Positioned as a narrative-driven OOH outdoor initiative titled "Hiding from the police," the campaign articulates the brand’s underlying promise to deliver authentic Italian products despite geopolitical obstacles. This brand proposition centers on resilience and loyalty to quality, emphasizing the salumeria’s commitment to maintaining genuine Italian flavors for its local customers, even amidst restrictive market conditions. Strategically, the campaign leverages the topical tension caused by the food embargo to create a compelling story that resonates with Russian consumers facing limited access to foreign delicacies. By depicting the brand’s products as "hidden" or smuggled goods, the campaign taps into a cultural and emotional insight tied to scarcity and defiance. It positions Don Giulio Salumeria not merely as a food vendor but as a guardian of culinary tradition and authenticity under threat, thus fostering empathy and strengthening brand affinity. The narrative approach, supported by strong visual storytelling in a public space, aims to captivate an audience attuned to current socio-political realities, engaging them through a relatable scenario. This choice of medium and message highlights the brand’s relevance while subtly critiquing the wider context. Overall, the campaign fuses context-sensitive storytelling with a localized appeal, using the embargo as a creative leverage to underscore the value of preserving genuine quality amid adversity.

FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM — Uses symbols or analogies to represent the problem instead of showing it literally. This campaign’s narrative—an Italian grocery store “hiding from the police” and trying to “survive” a food embargo—strongly suggests the use of metaphorical or symbolic storytelling. The embargo presents a significant external problem, but instead of showing the literal hardships, the campaign anthropomorphizes the struggle: the shop, or its Italian products (like Parmigiano), are depicted as fugitives hiding from authorities. This approach leverages playful symbolism to highlight the absurdity and seriousness of the embargo, using the “hiding” motif as a memorable analogy for dealing with regulations. There is no direct product demonstration or testimonial, and although a narrative is present, the focus is on the symbolic representation of the problem rather than the product itself resolving a story arc.

1. Miratorg – Positioned as Russia’s leading vertically integrated meat producer, Miratorg emphasizes high-quality, locally sourced meat products with modern production standards. They leverage scale and transparency to appeal to health-conscious consumers seeking reliable, fresh meat. 2. Cherkizovo Group – As one of the largest meat processing companies in Russia, Cherkizovo focuses on innovation and a broad product range, including premium deli meats and sausages. Their strategy centers on combining tradition with modern technology to offer consistent quality and variety. 3. OAO Rusagro – Rusagro promotes natural and organic meat products with a strong focus on sustainability and eco-friendly farming methods. Their market angle appeals to consumers valuing ethical production and traceability from farm to table. 4. Ruspole – Ruspole differentiates through artisanal processing and gourmet charcuterie products. Their niche positioning targets upscale consumers looking for authentic Italian-style salumeria crafted with traditional recipes and premium ingredients. 5. Veles – Veles positions itself as a family-oriented, affordable meat brand offering everyday deli products. Their strategic focus is on accessibility and reliability, catering to the mass market with consistent taste and competitive pricing.

Q: What is Hiding from the police about? A: Hiding from the police is a 2014 out-of-home campaign created by The 23 for Don Giulio Salumeria, a small Italian grocery shop in Moscow. Set against the backdrop of Russia’s food embargo, the campaign uses a narrative-driven approach to highlight the deli’s struggle to provide authentic Italian products despite regulatory challenges. Through evocative outdoor media, the campaign positions Don Giulio Salumeria as a resilient purveyor of genuine Italian flavors, connecting with consumers facing restricted access to imported foods. The work is notable for its strong engagement, garnering significant attention and interaction within the Russian market. Q: What creative device does Hiding from the police use? A: Hiding from the police employs FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. Rather than depicting the literal difficulties of the embargo, the campaign uses metaphor and playful symbolism—portraying the shop and its Italian products as fugitives hiding from authorities. This creative device anthropomorphizes the struggle, making the embargo’s impact both memorable and relatable. By focusing on the symbolic representation of adversity, the campaign delivers its message with wit and resonance, avoiding direct product demonstration or testimonial in favor of a narrative built on analogy. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Hiding from the police? A: The campaign proposition for Hiding from the police centers on Don Giulio Salumeria’s commitment to delivering authentic Italian products to Moscow consumers despite the constraints of the 2014 food embargo. The brand positions itself as a guardian of culinary tradition and quality, appealing to local customers who value genuine flavors in a time of scarcity. Through its narrative and visual storytelling, the campaign underscores resilience and loyalty to quality, fostering empathy and brand affinity by tapping into the cultural and emotional realities of its audience within the food and drink market. Q: How does Hiding from the police rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Hiding from the police holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 77/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance within its market context. Q: Who are the competitors in Don Giulio Salumeria's category? A: In the Russian food and drink market, Don Giulio Salumeria competes with brands such as Miratorg, which emphasizes high-quality, locally sourced meat with modern standards; Cherkizovo Group, known for innovation and a broad range of premium deli meats; OAO Rusagro, which focuses on natural, sustainable, and organic products; Ruspole, targeting upscale consumers with artisanal Italian-style charcuterie; and Veles, positioned as an accessible, family-oriented brand offering reliable everyday deli products. Each competitor brings a distinct approach to quality, tradition, or accessibility within the category.