San Diego-based chain Rubio’s launched an extension to its current ad campaign, “To The Ocean,” with a centerpiece television commercial entitled “Through The Language.” The first phase of the campaign launched in late August and was an ode to the ocean celebrating Rubio’s dedication to supporting ocean health. The current executions link the ocean with Rubio’s culinary developments, which feature grilled seafood, representative of Rubio’s commitment to sourcing sustainable seafood whenever possible.
"The ocean is an incredible resource. It provides much of our food, and also serves as inspiration for our coastal menu, as well as the ambiance of our restaurants,” says Ralph Rubio, who started Rubio's thirty years ago after tasting his first fish taco in Baja, Mexico.
The ad campaign was created by Rubio’s ad agency, barrettSF, and is the second iteration of the “To The Ocean” campaign within six months. The campaign includes multiple broadcast pieces, as well as digital, radio and social. “Through The Language” uses practical type embedded in each shot and moves the camera through the letters themselves to transition between the ocean world and Rubio’s. The language in the ocean and food scenes is nearly interchangeable, in order to create a single, cohesive narrative. It’s also voiceover-free, letting the viewer take in the story visually and making the spot aurally simple and quiet.
“We would love for people to see Rubio’s and the ocean as synonymous,” says Pete Harvey, creative director and partner at barrettSF. “Because what the restaurant draws from the ocean is both tangible and intangible, and defines the soul of the place.”
Rubio’s has grown to nearly 200 restaurants across the West Coast, having originally gained popularity for its fish taco. Rubio’s employs nearly 4,000 people and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. In addition to promoting sustainable seafood, Rubio’s is an active participant in World Oceans Day, an annual event dedicated to celebrating and educating the public on the protection of the world’s oceans, and also hosts CoastFest, an annual beach clean up and party in San Diego.
