This Pasta Brand Used Alphabet Pasta to Preserve Traditional Folk Songs

Celebrating the Međimurje culture and language, Marodi, a pasta producer from Northern Croatia, created A Soup to Remember campaign to contribute to the preservation of folk songs. The company released a limited collection of five books, each containing alphabet pastas that spell out the verse of a traditional folk song, with production and design led by Bruketa&Žinić&Grey. 

Involving educational institutions and nursery schools, invited through Marodi’s and the Alliance of Croation Cultural Associations of Međimurje County’s outreach and social channels, the children are learning the local language and preserving Međimurje folk songs. The success of the project prompted Međimurje County, the local government, to declare 28th of November a Day of Popevka (traditional folk songs), to be celebrated annually.  

“We live in a fast-moving, digital time, so preserving cultural heritage has never been more important. Međimurje folk songs are synonymous with Međimurje tradition, marking small joys and great moments in life. That is why we, as a pasta producer with decades of history, want to help guard the rich heritage of Međimurje,” said Antun Marodi, the brand manager of Marodi. 

“It is not a campaign about pasta, nor is it a campaign about singing songs. It is a campaign about belonging and about love: love of your family, friends, and that small part of the world you consider yours," noted Nikola Žinić, CCO of Bruketa&Žinić&Grey. 

The exclusive collection of books with Međimurje folk songs are 90% handmade and revise five folk songs: Young lad is standing beneath the window; Fade, fade my violet; You can't trade or buy love; God, bestow upon me the eyes of a falcon; Međimurje, you are so lushly green.

The book was illustrated by the renowned Croatian illustrator and animator Manuel Šumberac. Međimurje folk song was included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018.