Red Radiance: The Timeless Allure of Campari

INTERVIEW

by Pamela Tailor | September 2023

INSPIRED BY THE MILANESE AESTHETICS, THE NEW DESIGN FEATURES CLEAN ASCENDING VERTICAL RIDGES GRACEFULLY ADORNING THE BOTTOM PART OF THE BOTTLE | SOURCE: CAMPARI

In the context of the launch of the new Campari bottle design, Pamela Tailor, Founder and Creative Director from Time for Champagne Design Studio, had the honor of being granted an exclusive interview with Cristina Ferro, Global Brand Director Campari, Campari Gruppo, for Creativ Verpacken magazine, delving into the fascinating world of Campari.

CRISTINA FERRO, GLOBAL BRAND DIRECTOR CAMPARI

In the dynamic and ever-evolving spirits industry, we are constantly witnessing growth and diversification of brands. We see a captivating array of shapes, silhouettes and closures that push the boundaries of creativity. Brands tell stories which evoke a sense of tradition, sophistication, modernity or playfulness – just to name a few. Some designs are bold and loud, while others radiate understated elegance. And within this dynamic landscape, there stands a true icon – Campari. This remarkable aperitivo is not only widely recognized, but it also holds profound cultural significance, making it an unparalleled player in the world of spirits.

Throughout this exciting interview, feel invited to delve into the synergy between Campari and Milan, understand the role of Campari’s distinctive bright, blood-red color and discover the captivating realm of Campari’s constant innovative spirit through the fusion between Artificial Intelligence with timeless human ingenuity and craftsmanship.

CAMPARI CELEBRATED THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW BOTTLE WITH THE BIGGEST DRONE SHOW EVER SEEN IN EUROPE, FEATURING 1,000 DRONES FLYING OVER MILAN | SOURCE: CAMPARI

Cristina, the new Campari bottle was inspired by the Milanese aesthetics and features a series of vertical lines embossed on the transparent glass. Besides being the place where the brand was born, what defines the synergy between Campari and Milan?

Milano is a vibrant metropolis at the heart of Italian culture, with a rich history of mixology. It is not only the hometown of Campari, playing a key role in the brand’s creation, evolution and future, but it is also the birthplace of the Aperitivo. These two icons share style, values, ethos, and heritage, each offering layers to be discovered and a depth that inspires the creativity and innovation to bring this culture to the world. At the heart of the Milanese aperitivo culture is the convivial moment of friends and likeminded people coming together for shared experiences. The design composition created by the lines on the bottle and also on the signature Campari cocktails glasses suggests conviviality and community, showcasing the art of the Milanese aperitivo.

The sharpness of the lines reflects the sleek, minimalist fashion, and contemporary design that Milano is known for, representing true Milanese craftsmanship and elegance. The direction of the lines signifies the journey of the aperitivo culture from Milano to the world, leading the eyes to the crest of the city in the center of the bottle.

PHOTO BY CAMPARI

SALA SPIRITELLO, CAMPARINO | SOURCE: CAMPARI

A well-defined brand color can play a significant role in shaping an identity and support in communicating emotions, visions and values to the audience. What is the origin of Campari’s iconic red color?

From the very beginning, Campari's red color has been a distinctive feature of the product. Unmistakable in cocktails, the color makes the liquid stand out either on the shelf or on a bar counter and naturally draws the eye. In Gaspare Campari’s time, bitter liquors were typically dark brown, so it is believed that Gaspare’s idea was to create a new groundbreaking and exciting liqueur, in part because its red color was so original and typically associated with luxury.

CAMPARI IS ESSENTIAL FOR A NEGRONI (#1 BEST SELLING CLASSIC COCKTAIL BY DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 2023) | SOURCE: CAMPARI

What is the key ingredient that creates the vibrant red color in Campari?

In the past, Gaspare Campari used cochineal: this was the only red dye available at the time and had been used since the ancient times for a variety of purposes, including paints, beauty products and as food coloring.
Campari was invented in northern Italy and was originally developed for a small community. Today, it is sold globally and is a beloved drink worldwide. While the recipe has largely remained the same, some slight changes were required to support the now large-scale production. This is one of the reasons for switching from cochineal, which can vary in terms of availability, to different colorants, complying with local legislations today. Campari Group uses certified food coloring that is compliant with the local market laws and regulations in which it is present.

THE MAGIC OF CAMPARI LIES IN THE MYSTERY AND ALLURE THAT SURROUND ITS AMAZING BALANCE | SOURCE: CAMPARI

Is Campari’s recipe a closely guarded secret?

The sensorial experience we enjoy in a sip of Campari can only be compared with...another sip of Campari! For 160 years, the ingredients of Campari have been kept secret and guarded with the utmost care by Bruno Malavasi, Italian Icons Herbalist & Master Blender, and his predecessors, as the magic of Campari also lies in the mystery and allure that surround its amazing balance, impossible to replicate and so well rounded even experts can’t pinpoint the ingredients.
Bruno Malavasi and his team play a pivotal role in the production of Campari, dealing directly with all the suppliers of aromatic herbs, roots, woods, spices, flowers and fruits. These precious relationships, the research that goes into sourcing the finest raw materials, plus his extraordinary, highly refined and incomparable senses, ensure the continuous and consistent quality of the liquid.

Which implementation steps are planned for the global launch of the new Campari bottle?

We first launched the new bottle in Milano, house of Campari, which celebrated two Italian icons being united – Campari & Milano. This launch was just the start, over past months and into coming months an international roll-out of the new bottle will take place. This included our presentation of the newly redesigned bottle in the Campari Lounge at Cannes and at a series of events hosted by Campari at the Cannes Film Festival, of which Campari was the official partner for the second year. In this glamorous setting we were able to share unforgettable creations served by some of the most awarded international bartenders to a global audience. Our ambition with this launch is to share the Milanese Aperitivo culture, to elevate social gatherings across the world. We’ve seen the Negroni, of which Campari is the defining ingredient, grow and become an icon of cocktail culture, in fact it is now globally recognized as the best-selling classic cocktail. With this launch we look to build on this success and see more cocktail icons travel the globe.

MIXING GLAM AND AVANT-GARDE STYLES, CAMPARI REOPENS THE LEGENDARY HOTEL DES BAINS FOR ITS EXCLUSIVE RED PARTY DURING THE 80TH VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL | SOURCE: CAMPARI

THE NEWLY REDESIGNED BOTTLE WAS PRESENTED IN THE GLAMOROUS SETTING OF THE 76TH CANNES FILM FESTIVAL | SOURCE: CAMPARI

What innovative role did Artificial Intelligence play in the process of creation of the exceptional cocktails at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, and how did the human touch add a distinctive flair and elevate these creations to the new levels of excellence?

At the core of Campari’s heritage is passion and creativity, which has inspired bartenders to create the world’s most iconic cocktails. At the Cannes Film Festival, Head Bartender of Camparino in Galleria, Tommaso Cecca presented the CAMPARI CINEMATIC COCKTA.I.L COLLECTION - a trio of cocktails generated by A.I., inspired by cinema and refined by Tommaso Cecca.
The Palmier Rouge, Tapis Rouge, and Avant Rouge cocktails, along with their creative concepts, names and imagery, were initially generated by A.I. through analysis of cinema-related materials and the glamorous city of Cannes. However, as there can be no replacement for the craftsmanship of a professional bartender, Tommaso’s expertise and creative spirit played a vital role in transforming these concepts into exquisite cocktails, flawlessly capturing the iconic partnership of Campari and cinema.

SOURCE: CAMPARI

Campari's latest short film, 'Fellini Forward', was inspired by the creative genius of Fellini and created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. What role did humans play in the making of this movie?

Thanks to a team of experts from production and innovation studio UNIT9, dedicated Artificial Intelligence tools were explored and developed to unearth Federico Fellini’s creative genius in ways that had never yet been attempted until now. Francesca Fabbri Fellini, Fellini’s niece, was involved in the project from the start, sharing counsel and first-hand knowledge of her uncle as well as contributing to the casting, costume design and script writing for the short film. This seamless collaboration between human and Artificial Intelligence showcases how the sentimental and the rational, the emotional and data-driven can come together to create a brand-new piece of art.
The whole process was a true collaboration between human and machine which means that the short film director Maximilian Niemann had a key part to play in the production of the short movie from the scriptwriting phase through to the shooting. The short film director was very involved in the build of the script, interacting with the Artificial Intelligence to create a narrative that felt Felliniesque. The Artificial Intelligence pre-visualisation tool suggested certain camera movements and shot types during the pre-production phase based on what it perceived as Felliniesque, and, though the director stuck to the shots agreed on when shooting on location, he was able to adjust certain shot proposals if it did not feel quite right prior to the shoot, in a true collaborative style.

- This article has been published on the Edition 208 of the Creativ Verpacken Magazine -

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