Who: Loblaw’s President’s Choice and John St.

What: A new video ad for the grocer’s two-year old #EatTogether marketing platform.

When & Where: It was posted to YouTube last week and is running in cinemas.

Why: The Eat Together campaign launched in early 2017 and presents shared meals as a remedy for rising concerns about real-life social isolation.

How: The new film (following this two years ago and this last year) uses audio of the zen philosopher Alan Watts’ The Dream of Life, over a montage of individuals enjoying adventurous life experiences. It concludes with the same individuals gathered around a table, happily eating a meal together. This is an ad for a grocery chain, but it has almost no food in it and certainly no PC product shots.

The message: “No matter where life takes you, together at the table is the best place to be.” It’s a slight twist on the first two Eat Together spots, which lamented the disconnection of modern life, but stays true to the grander brand vision: all food is comfort food when it’s shared with loved ones.

Anything else? The 2019 Eat Together campaign will roll out over the next few months, culminating with Eat Together Day June 14. New this year, Loblaw’s introduced the “PC Eat Together” pledge, where people can click a button to pledge to eat with friends and family more often and $1 is donated to PC Children’s Charity.

We quote: “The act of eating together is very simple, yet the positive impacts are significant… We know moments and memories are created while sharing meals together, conversations are created with our children, healthier meals are eaten, and we leave the table happier and more connected with the ones we love.” —Uwe Stueckmann, senior vice-president, marketing, Loblaw Companies Limited.