All eyes are on Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1’s biggest global star, as he makes his long-anticipated debut for the Scuderia Ferrari HP team at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday (March 16). It’s a significant cultural moment for Formula 1, Ferrari, and the latter’s brand partner, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%.
To celebrate this new era of racing, Peroni’s alcohol-free beer welcomes Hamilton, who moves from Mercedes to the Ferrari team, with a stylish, elaborate gesture in true Italian fashion.
“The Italian Way” kicks off the second of a five-year partnership between Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% and Ferrari. The campaign is also the first work for the brewer from McCann Worldgroup after the agency, led by McCann London, won Peroni’s global advertising account last year.
“The world is looking at Ferrari at the moment and at these two drivers, Hamilton and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc,” Carly Burford, global brand director for Peroni Nastro Azzurro, told ADWEEK. “Because of our partnership, the world’s looking at us.”
Spectacular welcome for Hamilton
The commercial, titled “The Welcome Present” and directed by Martin Werner, is set in a luxurious home in the Italian hills, where Hamilton and Leclerc enjoy the scenery and each other’s company. Hamilton is surprised but delighted when Leclerc and Ferrari orchestrate the delivery of a memorable welcome gift: 44 cases of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% (44 is also Hamilton’s racing number).
The film conveys the premium nature of Peroni and Ferrari – which are both rooted in Italy and “stand for style, taste, and effortlessness,” per Burford – while demonstrating “the traditional Italian way of welcoming and hosting” and capturing the connection between the teammates.
A strategy focused on the F1 audience and the brand’s premium image.
The spot aims to reach Formula 1 viewers and beer drinkers, but it also contains Easter eggs for diehard “tifosi” (Italian fans of Scuderia Ferrari), such as the number of cases corresponding to Hamilton’s racing number.
With the campaign, Peroni is attempting to address challenges such as maintaining its premium positioning and adapting to evolving consumer preferences in an increasingly “difficult and cluttered [beverage] market,” said Burford. Like other alcoholic beverage brands, Peroni faces more competition from growing segments like spirits and liquor, non-alcoholic, and wellness drinks.
Peroni, which set an ambition to become a top 10 beer brand by 2030, sees growth potential from its brand extensions like Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, said Burford.
“People wear drinks brands as an extension or a badge of who they are,” Burford said. “I want people to feel like they’re drinking something that is premium, something that tastes amazing and refreshing… and to really feel like Peroni is an extension of them.”
The partnership comes as Formula 1 sees explosive growth globally, driven in part by Netflix’s hit docuseries, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which debuted in 2019. F1 is now the most popular yearly sporting series, reaching a total audience of 750 million, and has seen global interest grow by 5.7%, or approximately 50 million new fans, since 2021, according to a December report by Nielsen Sports.
“The Italian Way” will run globally and extend through social media and other content timed around key racing weekends during the year. Because only 1% of Formula 1 fans are able to attend the races, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% will also host immersive activations in global cities, spearheaded by agency Wasserman.
Beyond the Ferrari partnership, more work from Peroni and McCann is also on the horizon, aimed at “continuing [the brand] story in a more elevated, unmissable way,” Burford said.
