Projects

YesYouCan Pizza Dough Project

Strategic Content Creation for Coeliac Awareness Week

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Client: YesYouCan (SalDoce Fine Foods)
Campaign Focus: Coeliac Awareness Week Initiative 2021 – 2022
Project Duration: 4 weeks
Deliverables: Strategic Pizza Recipe Development + Dual-Format Video Content
Campaign Objective: Community Education & Product Demonstration


Strategic Context

Coeliac Awareness Week Significance

Coeliac Awareness Week runs annually from March 13-20, shining a light on the hidden truths about coeliac disease while spreading facts, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis, and supporting life-changing research. This campaign provided the perfect platform for YesYouCan to demonstrate their commitment to the coeliac community beyond just product manufacturing.

The Pizza Challenge

Pizza represents one of the most emotionally significant foods that people with coeliac disease must typically abandon. Traditional pizza dough relies heavily on gluten for structure, elasticity, and texture—making it one of the most challenging foods to recreate successfully in gluten-free form. This project aimed to prove that compromise isn’t necessary.


Project Brief

The Mission

YesYouCan sought to create compelling content that would:

  • Educate the community during Coeliac Awareness Week
  • Demonstrate the authentic taste and texture capabilities of their Pizza & Focaccia Bread Mix
  • Inspire confidence in home bakers to tackle traditionally “difficult” gluten-free recipes
  • Showcase versatility of their 320g mix for both family meals and entertaining

The Opportunity

Pizza occupies a unique cultural space—it’s simultaneously comfort food and social dining centerpiece. Successfully demonstrating restaurant-quality gluten-free pizza at home would address both practical and emotional needs within the coeliac community.


Creative Strategy: 

Recipe Development Philosophy

The recipe was engineered around YesYouCan’s 320g Pizza and Focaccia Bread Mix, designed to create 2 pizzas with restaurant-quality results:

Technique Innovation:

  • Controlled hydration: 100ml lukewarm water precisely calibrated for optimal dough consistency
  • Fat integration: 60ml infused olive oil for flavor depth and texture enhancement
  • Protein binding: 2 medium eggs (60g size) providing structure typically missing in gluten-free dough
  • Artisan salt finishing: 5g smoked lava salt elevating the flavor profile beyond standard pizza

Process Optimization: The method addressed key gluten-free baking challenges:

  • Yeast activation protocol: Proper blooming technique for maximum leavening
  • Minimal handling: Gentle mixing to prevent tough texture
  • Strategic resting: 30-minute proving time for flavor development
  • High-heat technique: 200°C fan-forced for authentic pizzeria-style results

Dual Video Strategy

This project uniquely featured two complementary YouTube videos:

  1. Detailed Tutorial Format – Comprehensive step-by-step guidance
  2. Engaging Demonstration Style – Dynamic, visually-driven content

This dual approach served different audience needs:

  • Educational seekers wanting detailed instruction
  • Visual learners preferring dynamic demonstration
  • Social sharing with varied content for different platforms

Technical Execution 

Recipe Architecture

The recipe utilized precise ratios: 320g mix base, minimal liquid (100ml), strategic fat content (60ml oil), and protein structure (2 eggs), creating a balanced dough that performs like traditional wheat-based versions.

Key Technical Innovations:

  • Temperature control: Lukewarm water (not hot) protecting yeast viability
  • Oil infusion: Flavored olive oil adding complexity beyond basic pizza dough
  • Egg integration: Creating binding and richness typically provided by gluten
  • Salt strategy: Smoked lava salt as finishing element rather than mixing salt

Topping Strategy

The recipe showcased thoughtful topping selection:

  • Base sauce: 120ml gluten-free Napoli sauce (careful brand verification)
  • Cheese blend: 100g mozzarella + 50g fresh bocconcini for texture contrast
  • Vegetable medley: 120g mixed vegetables (cherry tomatoes, zucchini, capsicum, Spanish onions)
  • Herb finish: Fresh chervil and basil for restaurant-quality presentation

Video Production Elements

Format 1 – Educational Tutorial:

  • Step-by-step visual demonstration
  • Clear technique explanation
  • Troubleshooting guidance
  • Professional production values

Format 2 – Dynamic Demonstration:

  • Fast-paced, engaging editing
  • Emphasis on final results
  • Social media optimization
  • Broader audience appeal

Results & Strategic Impact

Community Response

The Coeliac Awareness Week timing maximized impact by:

  • Reaching newly diagnosed individuals seeking comfort food alternatives
  • Supporting long-term coeliac community with sophisticated recipes
  • Educating families managing mixed dietary needs
  • Demonstrating brand commitment to community beyond just sales

Technical Achievement

The recipe successfully addressed traditional gluten-free pizza challenges:

  • Texture authenticity: Achieving proper chew and structure
  • Flavor complexity: Moving beyond “gluten-free compromise”
  • Visual appeal: Restaurant-quality presentation standards
  • Practical accessibility: Home kitchen achievable results

Brand Positioning Success

This project reinforced YesYouCan’s position as:

  • Premium quality provider in gluten-free space
  • Community advocate supporting health awareness campaigns
  • Innovation leader in recipe development
  • Educational resource for confident home baking

Key Strategic Insights

Market Education Value

The project highlighted that successful gluten-free products require more than just flour substitution—they need:

  • Comprehensive technique education for home bakers
  • Quality ingredient sourcing guidance
  • Confidence-building content to overcome baking anxiety
  • Community support through shared experiences

Content Strategy Effectiveness

Dual video format proved highly effective by:

  • Maximizing reach across different audience preferences
  • Enabling content repurposing for various platforms
  • Supporting different skill levels within the same recipe
  • Creating shareable moments for community building

Seasonal Campaign Integration

Aligning with Coeliac Awareness Week demonstrated:

  • Authentic brand values beyond commercial interests
  • Community leadership in health advocacy
  • Educational commitment to customer empowerment
  • Strategic timing for maximum impact

Technical Specifications

Recipe Yield: 2 medium pizzas
Preparation Time: 45 minutes (including proving)
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Skill Level: Intermediate
Equipment Required: Pizza stone, mixing bowls, measuring tools

Key Ingredients:

  • YesYouCan Pizza & Focaccia Bread Mix (320g)
  • Quality supporting ingredients readily available
  • Specialized finishing salt for premium results

Project Legacy & Future Applications

Immediate Outcomes

This campaign successfully:

  • Enhanced brand credibility within coeliac community
  • Provided practical value during awareness campaign
  • Demonstrated product versatility beyond basic applications
  • Created evergreen content for ongoing customer support

Strategic Framework Development

The project established a replicable framework for:

  • Awareness campaign alignment with product demonstrations
  • Educational content creation that serves community needs
  • Multi-format video strategy for broader engagement
  • Technical recipe development maintaining quality standards

Community Building Impact

Beyond immediate sales metrics, this project contributed to:

  • Confidence building among newly diagnosed individuals
  • Skill development within existing customer base
  • Social sharing and community engagement
  • Brand loyalty through authentic value delivery

Conclusion

This pizza project exemplifies how strategic recipe development can serve dual purposes: advancing brand objectives while providing genuine community value. By aligning with Coeliac Awareness Week, the project transcended simple product promotion to become part of a larger health advocacy narrative.

The dual video strategy proved particularly effective, acknowledging that different community members have varying learning preferences and engagement styles. This comprehensive approach created lasting value that continues serving customers long after the awareness week concluded.

Future Opportunities

This successful integration suggests pathways for:

  • Annual awareness campaign participation with new recipe developments
  • Community partnership expansion with coeliac organizations
  • Educational series development around challenging gluten-free techniques
  • Social impact measurement of recipe accessibility improvements

This project demonstrates how thoughtful content creation can simultaneously advance commercial objectives and contribute meaningfully to community health initiatives, creating authentic brand value that resonates far beyond traditional marketing approaches.