Apparently, food at Sugo restaurant in Calgary is so good, you’ll wish you could eat it continuously – even if that means taking it intravenously. The creatives at agency Push – some of whom are self-described Sugo addicts – used drug paraphernalia to convey the idea that once you’ve tried the eats, you’ll be hooked.
Calgary-based Push conceived a print campaign, incorporating stylized syringes, which launches the first week of November in magazines such as Avenue and Where in Calgary.
‘We wanted to show how different [Sugo is],’ explains Push art director Jason Sweet of the brash imagery. ‘Everything about Sugo, even the decor, is really new and fresh. It’s a cutting-edge, New York-style restaurant.’
Sugo is a place where the chefs will come out and chat with the clientele and will make any dish their heart desires. But head chef Angelo Contrada says that even after its one-year anniversary, Sugo is unknown to a lot of Calgarians. He’s hoping the Push ads will create a stir and raise awareness for the upscale establishment.
The drug tools used in the ads elicit a harsh edge, Sweet says, but the end result is fairly romanticized. ‘The way we shot it, it’s not showing drug addicts or food addicts – we’re just showing the devices of addiction.’
Sweet says the ads seek to attract adventurous types who may be looking for new culinary experiences, and he’s hoping the campaign will cause a bit of controversy and perhaps get press coverage.
‘I don’t care if it is controversial,’ says Contrada, ‘People who have eaten here know what we’re about.’
Credits
Client: Sugo
Agency: Push
Art Director: Jason Sweet
Copywriter: Andy Shortt
Photographer: Frank Hoedl
Production Artist: Theo Wilting
