Michael Bolton Sings About Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese in New Spot for Panera
It's a promotion for chain's latest menu item
Sometimes, food is so good, it makes you want to sing.
That’s especially the case for iconic crooner Michael Bolton, who was moved to song by Panera Bread’s latest addition to its menu, Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese, in a new digital short video for the fast-casual chain from creative agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners, as well as Panera’s new head chef and chief food innovation officer, Claes Petersson, who is also featured in the 90-second video.
The singer (and Panera enthusiast, as the ad dubs him), took to the recording studio—his personal recording studio, in fact—to belt out a tweaked version of his hit “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Only this time, it’s “When Some Mac Loves Broccoli Cheddar.”
“To celebrate the first-ever mash-up of two iconic Panera menu items coming together in perfect harmony, we knew we had to do something big,” Eduardo Luz, Panera’s chief brand and concept officer, said. “The combination of our crowd-pleasing Broccoli Cheddar Soup, with our Mac & Cheese is a true embodiment of Panera’s dedication to delicious food. We felt so passionately about the flavor combination that the love song almost wrote itself, and who better to help us announce to the world than love song legend and Panera super fan, Michael Bolton.”
The song features cheeky lyrics that are a nod to the original, as well as paying homage to Panera’s new dish, which rolled out on menus this week and is a combination of two fan favorites: Broccoli cheddar soup and mac and cheese.
“Two classic loves swirled into one,” Bolton croons. “Yes it’s soup on tender pasta, it can do no wrong, because creamy cheese and broccoli loves macaroni.”
The video sees Bolton belting out the tune against a number of backdrops beyond the recording studio, including at the piano and outside near a sprawling pool. Each is a location at Bolton’s own home.
It’s already gaining traction on social media, receiving over a million views on Panera’s social media platforms within 24 hours.
According to a statement from the company, the video is part of an effort to bring customers back into Panera stores amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. And it’s not the only restaurant chain that’s recruited a celebrity to do so: Rapper Travis Scott curated a limited-time meal for McDonald’s based on his childhood favorites from the chain.
Watch the full video below.
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