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When in Rome, the saying goes. And while the US isn\u2019t exactly next to Italy, Campari is betting that US customers might just follow the same advice\u2014at least when it comes to their drinking habits.<\/p>\n
Making happy hours in the US a little bit more European is a task that falls to Andrea Sengara, the head of US marketing at Aperol\u2019s parent company, Campari. It starts with aperitivo<\/em> hour, which features bittersweet carbonated aperitivo beverages like the Aperol spritz (made with Aperol) and the Negroni (made with Campari) that are meant to be enjoyed before dinner.<\/p>\n \u201cLate afternoon, early evening: That\u2019s the aperitivo moment,\u201d Sengara told Marketing Brew. \u201cIt\u2019s been a ritual for quite a long time in Europe and specifically in Italy.\u201d<\/p>\n With a team of nearly 40 marketers, as well as a global marketing team based in Milan and a team managing brand ambassadors, Sengara is focused on bringing Aperol to the forefront of pop culture, whether that\u2019s music festivals, sporting events, or TV shows like The White Lotus<\/em>.<\/p>\n Warm-weather events are key marketing moments for the brand. This summer, Aperol partnered with the US Open to serve cocktails on the grounds to attendees. The brand served Aperol spritzes from a patio bar, an on-site truck, and two mobile carts.<\/p>\n In the spring, Aperol made its debut at Coachella as an official partner, which was designed to help scale the brand, Sengara said. Aperol hosted an on-site activation called the Aperol Spritz Piazza that featured places for festivalgoers to cool down with an Aperol spritz. The activation also featured The Orange Dome, a site where the Instagram-savvy Coachella crowd could take photos. Other Coachella activations included the Aperol Tram, a photo-ready pavilion, and a digital kiosk featuring trivia about Aperol and Italy.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we looked at American culture, the music festival was something that we thought was pretty much right-on in terms of that daytime, afternoon, socializing with friends, having fun, sparking joy [type of] occasion,\u201d Sengara said. \u201cIt\u2019s people coming together to enjoy something really fun with their friends\u2026during the warmer weather seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n Aperol has plans to go beyond warmer weather and engage in advertising around the colder months, too. This year, Sengara said the brand will also be activating in certain ski resort towns, like Aspen and Vail, to encourage people to think of the Aperol spritz as a winter drink as well.<\/p>\n There are opportunities for Aperol to appear front-and-center in fictional locales, too\u2014like the fictitious White Lotus resort in Sicily that was the backdrop for the second season of the hit HBO series The White Lotus<\/em>. Sengara said she wasn\u2019t aware of a formal deal with HBO, but she said her team talked to the production team about how an Aperol spritz should be made and served authentically. In the end, the drink was featured in several episodes.<\/p>\n Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cAs a part of filming that show in the summertime in Sicily, Aperol spritzes would naturally be all over the place,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n After the cocktail\u2019s cameo in the series, Campari Group CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz told investors the series was \u201chaving an impact.\u201d The company reported a 50% increase in sales of Aperol in the US last year.<\/p>\nSun and spritz<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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