How Martini is attracting a new generation
Rafael Ferrer Trepat, global marketing director of Martini, explains the motives behind its recent rebrand and why it’s doubling down on the Spritz.
In February, Martini revealed a new look and marketing campaign, which it said marked the beginning of a new ‘contemporary era’.
It’s a hefty investment from the Bacardi-owned vermouth brand, but, according to Ferrer Trepat, the ‘aperitivo occasion’ is worth US$11 billion and is growing by 6% in its key markets. “Aperitivo has moved from being the pre-event experience to being the main event itself,” he explains. Another related trend, he adds, is the “rise of daytime drinking occasions”.
“Aperitivo is evolving into a much more modern, much more stylish type of occasion, which is recruiting a new generation of consumers,” he explains. “All our vermouths are perfect to capitalise on this global trend.
“With the new Martini and this rebrand, we’re inviting a new generation of drinkers to experience this true Italian icon that has been with us since 1863. It’s an end-to-end brand relaunch.”
One way that the brand is doing this is through investing in its premium credentials. The rebrand includes a new contemporary bottle, a ‘360’ marketing campaign and a new signature drink: the Martini Bianco Spritz.
The serve is a clear play at both the aperitivo moment and the growing interest in daytime drinking occasions. “Consumers are looking for lighter, more refreshing type of drinks,” he explains. “It’s a very crisp, bright Spritz, with subtle notes of vanilla. It’s a bit sweet, and it pairs fantastically with many of the typical light bites you would see in the aperitivo occasion in most of our key markets.”
One notable part of the bottle redesign is its sustainability credentials. Its weight has been cut by 5%, and the slimmer design also allows 48 extra bottles to be carried per pallet.
The redesign is far from purely functional, however, with Ferrer Trepat citing the arched walkways of Turin – the brand’s home city – as an inspiration. “The cool thing about our new bottle is that it reflects the quality of the liquid inside, but it’s also an amazing link to our Italian heritage.”
The brand will also introduce a new consumer experience, called the Martini Terrazza. “This is an activity we will be doing across several markets, starting this summer,” he says. “The objective is to create a style and entertainment hotspot in which consumers can not only experience the brand’s signature drinks, but also have a taste of what the Martini world is all about.”
Consumer insights
As well as growing interest in aperitivo in general, Ferrer Trepat acknowledges the rising moderation trend. “We see consumers drinking less, but better. They will often moderate their consumption throughout the occasion by switching between alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks. They’re often choosing lighter, more refreshing type of drinks, like the Spritz.”
Martini and its parent company, Bacardi, are offering many alternatives to appeal to this audience, including the St-Germain Spritz, which he says is working “fantastically” in many markets. The Martini Bianco Spritz is another option in this area, but it’s also supported by the brand’s two non-alcoholic expressions, Floreale and Vibrante.
“It was one of the first non-alcoholic ranges in the world of aperitivo. It’s a small part of our portfolio, but it is growing year after year, and it has massive potential.”
The two non-alcoholic expressions are seeing success in both the on- and off-trade. “We’re seeing these trends across both channels, and we didn’t prioritise either of the two channels when we first launched in 2020. They’re improving in parallel.”
In terms of trends in the vermouth category, Ferrer Trepat acknowledges that classic cocktails such as the Negroni and the Manhattan continue to be on the rise. While these serves have been hot in the cocktail scene for a few years, they’re now beginning to pop up in more mainstream venues, including restaurants.
The whole spirits industry has been talking about the rise and fall of premiumisation of late. Ferrer Trepat believes this trend is still positive for vermouth, with new players entering the premium and super-premium segments. “I would say the message from Martini – as leaders of the vermouth category globally – is that we’re very happy with anything that helps us to develop the category. We are seeing momentum right now.”
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