Bacardi celebrates 160th anniversary of Martini and releases global campaign
Martini's ‘160 years of Italian taste’ campaign
Spirits company Bacardi is celebrating the 160th anniversary of its vermouth and sparkling wine brand Martini, with a series of events and launches that will build on its legacy as "an icon of Italian style and culture."
This year is also the 30th anniversary of Martini joining the Bacardi portfolio of premium wines and spirits. Since Bacardi, a family-owned company that recently marked its own 160th anniversary, acquired the Martini & Rossi Group in 1993, Martini has been part of a growing portfolio of iconic brands which today includes Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose vodka, Patron tequila, St-Germain liqueur and Bacardi rum.
“For 160 years, Martini has been an icon of Italian culture while continuously evolving, innovating and inspiring each new generation. What’s stayed constant is a commitment to craftsmanship, quality and exceptional taste,” says Mahesh Madhavan, CEO of Bacardi Limited. “As we celebrate this milestone for Martini, we continue to make Martini a modern, Italian lifestyle brand, that we can continue to be proud of while carrying its legacy for future generations.”
The 160th anniversary of Martini is being celebrated in the following ways:
New Martini global campaign – ‘160 years of Italian taste’ draws inspiration from the legacy of Martini as a symbol of Italian style and culture. The campaign brings together the brand’s heritage and its vision for the future with imagery that illustrates how the brand is moving into a new era. The new creative reflects consumers’ changing drinking habits - the brand’s newest innovation, Martini Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo is front and center and represents how Martini is meeting the demand for the rise in mindful drinking, while remaining grounded in aperitivo culture.
First aged Martini vermouth – Martini Maestro 36, demonstrates the brand’s constant drive to innovate and create new experiences for every generation. Martini Maestro 36 is aged for 36 months to create an exceptional, super-premium expression of the classic vermouth. Created by Martini Master Blender Beppe Musso, Maestro 36 captures 160 years of vermouth-making expertise in a limited edition of only 2,000 bottles. To celebrate the Italian hospitality industry’s support for Martini over 160 years, Maestro 36 is available exclusively in bars and restaurants in Italy.
Martini's Maestro 36 aged vermouth
Martini Pop-Up Bar at Dazi Milano – Everyone in Milan is invited to join the celebration by visiting this special pop-up Martini bar, open until July 4.
Martini postage stamp – The Italian Government is celebrating 160 years of Martini and 160 years of an iconic brand proudly Made in Italy with the release of a Martini postage stamp, available at post offices across Italy starting in July.
Terrazza Martini influencers digitized for future generations – A collection of 30,000 photographs taken at the Terrazza Martini since its opening in 1958 is being preserved for future generations in the first corporate digitization project supported by the Italgas Heritage Lab. The collection captures generations of celebrities and influencers at Milan’s most fashionable destination.
Martini can look back on an extraordinary legacy and look forward to a future full of new innovations. For generations, Martini has cared for the environment, for suppliers and their communities. The brand’s sustainability milestones are a reflection of Bacardi and its mission to be the most environmentally responsible global spirits company. Back in 1987, L’Osservatorio Martini – the Martini Observatory – was established in Northern Italy as a center dedicated to promoting sustainable farming methods. And in just the last year, Martini has been using solar energy to power the distillation of its botanicals and 100% of the wineries for the entire Martini portfolio have been certified sustainable.
Helping to achieve these sustainability milestones is newly appointed Master of Botanicals, Alessandro Garneri and Martini Master Blender, Beppe Musso. Only the eighth Master Blender in the 160-year history of Martini, Beppe has been instrumental in the creation of contemporary vermouth Martini Fiero, a 100% natural blend of citrus, bittersweet orange and crisp white wines, as well as the Martini Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo range.
“This year, Martini is celebrating its 160th birthday but we are still young,” says Musso. “Our knowledge and experience grows with each new generation and that is reflected in the quality and taste of every Martini drink and in our commitment to sustainable practices that will secure our future for the next 160 years. That’s what really excites me – our future legacy. This is only the beginning.”
