We are all connected, in one way or another. A leading local fruit juice brand and a winery from Tokat have created a brilliant campaign to promote what they produce. This is not recent news, as the campaign has been running for seven years. Yet after so many years, it still stands strong, perhaps because it highlights their deep connection to their roots. The campaign is titled “Bağımız Var!”, a clever name with a strong dual meaning. “Bağ” in Turkish means a vineyard, but it also signifies a connection or a bond. Thus, it translates to both “We have a vineyard!” and “We have a bond.” Here, the bond refers to honoring and recognizing the values of Tokat, the company’s hometown. Launched in October 2019 and curated by Yalkın Yel, this long-term cultural project aims to preserve Tokat’s cultural heritage, gastronomic richness, traditional crafts and time-honored Narince vineyards, passing them down to future generations.
Yel, the director of the Reklamania Creative Agency, explains the concept clearly: “One of humanity’s greatest misconceptions may be the belief that the time in which we live belongs to us alone. Yet what we call ‘today’ does not belong to us alone. It is the accumulation of the experiences, discoveries, beliefs, creations, intuitions and imaginations of billions of people who lived before us. The language we speak, the food we eat, the music we listen to, the city we live in, the objects we use, our sense of beauty, our rituals and even the way we make sense of the world are all the present-day manifestations of a story far longer than our own. We inherit our heritage, carry it for a while, transform it and pass it on.”
Cultural bond
A cultural bond with heritage is the backbone of the project; it is the sole idea driving the campaign. Calling it a simple promotional effort does the project a disservice; I regard it as a “give back” project and a clever initiative to preserve cultural heritage. My appreciation for the project stems from my own professional background as an architect specializing in the conservation of historic monuments and urban fabric, with expertise in site management plans. In fact, that is how I originally transitioned into writing about food and culinary heritage. Intangible cultural heritage of any kind cannot be separated from the conservation of architectural heritage. Food is our primary connection to our roots, and it may well be the strongest bond we have with our past.
This play on words says it all. The brand naturally has vineyards, having started as a winery before expanding into fruit juices and other beverages. Thus, incorporating the word “bağ,” meaning vineyard, directly anchors the campaign to its winemaking roots. Beyond wine, it represents Tokat’s rich agricultural heritage, which includes traditional grape-based products like “pekmez” (grape molasses). Tokat’s grape leaves are considered the finest in Türkiye for making stuffed vine leaves (dolma), a cornerstone of Turkish cuisine. Harvested from the local white Narince grape, these leaves are silky smooth with a gentle aroma. The name Narince roughly translates to “delicate-ish,” reflecting the grape’s thin skin and refined taste. This agricultural heritage embodies a deep connection to one’s roots. “The earth is the common ground where generations who have never met come into contact with one another,” says Yel. Ultimately, bonding through food and agricultural heritage creates a powerful and enduring connection.
Music and folklore
When the campaign began, music served as its core. Music, dance and folklore in a broader context create another powerful bond with our past, as folk songs invariably trigger a deep connection to our roots. However, younger generations lean toward contemporary sounds and sustainable conservation relies on adapting the past to present needs. To bridge this gap, 10 traditional folk songs were selected and reinterpreted by 10 contemporary musicians — videos that remain available on YouTube today. There is no overt brand promotion, only music, accompanied by the subtle, almost shy appearance of a wine glass within the scene. It serves as a “give back” to classic folk songs that evoke nostalgia, but with a “move forward” twist that brings modern interpretations to old traditions. Today, the project has expanded even further. At the start of the vineyard harvest season, they host “FestiBağ,” a two-day event uniting music, gastronomy and traditional crafts — bonding people with one another through the shared concept of the vineyard.
