Sofia Colucci Reflects on The Republic of Bacon Campaign for Halloween
In a post shared on LinkedIn on October 30, 2026, Sofia Colucci marked Halloween by commuting through Chicago’s Ogilvie station dressed as a strip of bacon, using the holiday to reflect on her early days in marketing. Colucci wrote that her affinity for bacon stems from an early professional chapter when she managed the product category at the start of her career. Internally categorized as a commodity, the food item revealed a different reality when she interacted with consumers in social settings.
Recalling her single days, Colucci noted that mentioning her work on bacon at a bar instantly made her the center of attention. Rather than holding a casual preference, consumers displayed genuine devotion to the product. Recognizing that emotional connection prompted her and her colleagues to build a campaign around it.
Building a Social-First Brand in 2008
With the support of leaders Adam Grogan and Matt Oliver, and working alongside a team led by Angus Tucker at the agency john st., Colucci helped develop what they named The Republic of Bacon. Launched in 2008 during the early emergence of social media marketing, the project was designed as a social-first digital nation dedicated to enthusiasts of the cured meat.
The campaign featured its own national anthem, promotional videos hosted on YouTube, and a public relations survey that asked Canadian participants to choose between bacon and romantic intimacy. Reflecting on the initiative nearly two decades later, Colucci observed that while digital marketing practices have evolved, the project demonstrated that creative success relies on a sharp, ownable insight rather than massive budgets or glamorous products.
Colucci concluded her post by wishing her network a happy Halloween and suggesting that readers celebrate the weekend with a slice of bacon and a cold beer.
