Hats off to the content marketers at Dolmio this week whose Pepper Hackers campaign is a truly brilliant example of a brand thinking laterally and yet still remaining completely on message.

The Dolmio Pepper Hacker campaign, which has already amassed nearly 2 million views on YouTube since its launch, has got people a little overexcited over the past week or so with many desperate to get their hands on this magical pepper mill which is actually a device for turning off wifi and electronic devices. But these are the people that are missing the brilliance of the ad which is not in the device itself (although it is pretty cool and I want one) but in the principle behind it.

Technology is ruining family life and in particular family mealtimes. Parents and children alike can be too distracted by their TVs, mobiles, tablets or other devices to even bother sitting at the family dinner table together let alone shock horror actually interact with each other.

The Dolmio Pepper Hacker campaign changes all that. With a couple of twists of her magic pepper mill mum gets to disable all the electronic media devices in the house – and the result is complaints at first but ultimately a family interacting with each other over a great family dinner – of which Dolmio is at the heart.

It’s perhaps a little ironic that by using social media as the channel to spread the message but hey ho we’re only talking about taking half an hour out for a family meal – then I’m sure Mum will untwist that pepper mill and everyone can get back to checking Facebook, Instagram – and checking out the Pepper Hacker campaign on YouTube.  Brilliant execution Dolmio – well done!

Let us know what companies have most impressed you with their lateral interpretations of their brand. Email liz@sixdegs.com

Content marketing will be a key theme of #SMWF this 8-9 June at London’s Vinopolis.

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