Campari unveils new bottle design

Italian apéritif Campari has revealed an ‘evolutionary redesign’ of its bottle, inspired by its home city of Milan.

The new bottle has been created as a ‘visual ode to Milano’, taking aesthetic cues from each element of the Italian city’s culture.

Speaking to The Spirits Business, Julka Villa, group head of marketing, Campari Group, said: “The Campari bottle has been changing shape and evolving alongside Milano, drawing continuous inspiration from the city, since its creation in 1860.

“In fact, the vibrant iconic apéritif was first sold on draft in vats and served in decanters, before adding a brand label in 1888 and finally featuring the brand logo that is recognisable today in 1912.”

Villa noted that the Campari bottle has featured its birthplace of Milano since 2006. First, it was displayed on the label of each bottle, before being decorated with elegant, embossed details that “highlight its charm” in 2013.

Then, in 2016, the brand refined the label “to bring to the foreground Campari’s authenticity, modernity, and sleek design”, affirming its “credibility and roots” and embracing the vibrancy of Milan.

Now in 2023, Campari has introduced a ‘significant development’ in the bottle’s design, which puts Milan “at the heart” of every bottle.

This bottle redesign, the first for the brand in 10 years, aims to be a visual homage to the city, which Villa said combined “effortlessness and understated elegance, just like Milano itself”.

It boasts “sharp, bold and confident lines” created to reflect “the sleek minimalist fashion and contemporary design that Milano is known for,” with a modern and straightforward edge representing true Milanese craftsmanship.

“The direction of the lines, with a modern and direct cut, symbolise the journey of the aperitivo ritual from Milano to the rest of the world, leading the eye to the city’s name in the centre of the bottle,” Villa noted. “In addition, the dynamic movement and the tapering of the lines reflects the vitality and transformation over time that Milano and Campari have undergone together, from the past to the future, with an innovative and forward-thinking approach.”

As part of Compari Group’s commitment to reach its sustainability target of achieving zero net emissions by 2050, new sustainability criteria in its packaging design and development are being introduced.

As such, the company has assessed and measured the new Campari bottle against three criteria: weight optimisation, maximisation of recycled content, and full recyclability of the materials.

“All efforts have been placed in balancing premium and innovative design with the reduction of environmental impacts,” Villa commented.

International roll out

To launch the new bottle, Campari will host ‘the largest drone show ever seen in Europe’ on 4 and 5 May, lighting up Milan’s skyline to be viewed from across the city.

The display will last 12 minutes and bring the ‘iconic’ Milanese symbols to life through a spectacular show of illuminations.

In addition, the brand’s bond with the city will also be celebrated through a special cocktail list at the Camparino in Galleria, the Milanese venue founded in 1915 by Davide Campari overlooking Piazza Duomo.

“This launch is just the start,” said Villa. “Over the next months you will see an international roll out of the new bottle. This includes an exciting opportunity to present 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 is the official partner for the second year.

“In this glamorous setting we will serve unforgettable creations served by some of the most awarded international bartenders to a global audience. We hope with this launch we can 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 recognised as the best-selling classic cocktail. With this launch we look to build on this success and see more cocktail icons travel the globe.”