It's Drogba Vs Messi in Turkish Airlines' Worldwide Culinary Race

CP+B London unveils a global ad campaign for Turkish Airlines featuring international football stars, Didier Drogba and Lionel Messi, racing to find the most epic food on the planet. 

When Turkish Airlines sent Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi on a ‘Selfie Shootout’ to Widen their World the film clocked up over 137 million views. So, how do you follow the most watched ad on You Tube in 2013?

With food, that’s how.

We all love food. When we go on holiday, sure we go and see the museums the monuments, the wonders of the world, but if we’re really honest, it’s the food we ALWAYS remember. It’s the food that really makes you feel like you’re a local if you find the right little joints and restaurants. Food really does Widen your World like nothing else.

So, this time Turkish Airlines are sending Lionel Messi on a culinary race around the world with none other than the great Didier Drogba. Who will be the first to discover the most epic food on the planet?

We know sports stars are competitive but this one really takes the biscuit.

The film, the third and final in the series, which is one of the world’s most viewed campaigns on YouTube, seeks to engage viewers further this time with EpicFoodMap.com. Soon Turkish Airlines will be launching a competition to upload your own epic food travel photo to win a trip to the locations in the commercial.  Drogba and Messi will be kicking it off on 18 November with their favourite foods. The aim is to create the world’s most adventurous food map, which inspires people to travel to new destinations.

Serdar Ekrem Şirin, Advertising Manager, explains the strategy behind the ad: "Turkish Airlines is passionate about food – from the amazing cuisine of our country to every dish that we serve on our flights and in our lounges. We’ve been awarded “Best Business Class Onboard Catering” and “Best Business Class Lounge Catering” by Skytrax. Plus, Turkish Airlines targets culturally curious travellers, who are bored with conventional destinations and sightseeing, and want to experience life as a local. Food is the best way to understand a culture, which is why we care so much about our catering and why we’ve made food the true hero of our new campaign."