Odd pitch about ‘gender-reveal’ lasagna goes viral

Journalists and social media users had mixed reactions to the offering touting itself as ‘mouthwatering’ as well as innovative. The PR effort landed chatter and media coverage.

By Beki Winchel
@bekiweki
Jan. 25, 2019

Ragan Insider Premium Content

A wacky PR pitch has earned its weight in gold cheese after making the rounds online.

Villa Italian Kitchen recently announced a party option for parents-to-be: A gender-reveal lasagna.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs8den6gSX6/

The dish, which includes a “secret pink or blue interior” enclosed inside layers of cheese, Alfredo sauce and imported Italian pasta, serves 12 people and comes with garlic rolls and a Caesar or Greek salad. The meal will set you back $140, but news of your baby’s gender should spread like wildfire online.

That is, if your gender reveal party takes off like Villa’s PR pitch.

KSAT 12 producer Ellie Holmes declared the pitch to have “possibly the best subject line in an email”:

Possibly the best subject line in an email ever:
"Gender Reveal Lasagna?! – Villa Italian Kitchen Invites Guests to Celebrate their Bundles of Joy with Boatloads of Cheese!"

— Ellie Banks (@ellierosetx) January 22, 2019

Journalist for Philadelphia publication The Inquirer said the pitch was a “clear frontrunner” for the year:

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