Peroni Nastro Azzurro kicked off summer last week with a starring role on an episode of Bravo’s “Top Chef” All-Stars LA, the latest volley in a campaign it hopes will continue its momentum after the best year in its history in the United States and a promising spring.
The long-running television program, which features chefs from around the U.S. competing against each other in culinary challenges, featured the brand in its home country of Italy on last week’s episode.
Peroni’s starring role on the reality program is its latest effort to lean into the worlds of food, film, fashion and design. The Italian import has already had a presence at several major cultural events in 2020, including the Screen Actor Guild Awards and the Sundance Film Festival, and it aired a series of spots during the E! network’s red carpet coverage of the Academy Awards and ABC’s Oscars pre-show.
“Partnerships of this magnitude are extremely meaningful for a prestige brand like Peroni, and its starring role in last week’s Bravo’s ‘Top Chef’ All-Stars episode represents another great moment for the brand and another way to reach drinkers in the food and dining sphere,” says Katie Feldman, senior marketing manager of North American imports at Molson Coors Beverage Co.
And although the brand tends to play an outsized role in bars and restaurants affected by the widespread closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, “the off-premise trends we’re seeing are strong and promising,” Feldman says.
Year-to-date, Peroni sales volume is up 37.2% and sales dollars are up 40.5%, according to Nielsen all-outlet and convenience data through May 16. And since the launch of its “Birra Beautifully” marketing campaign in 2019, the easy-drinking Euro lager has increased its share of the European imports category by more than 50%, data show.
“What we’re seeing is that consumers are still looking for ways to make the at-home occasion feel special, and Peroni can play a big role in those types of settings,” Feldman says.
Because Peroni over indexes in the on-premise, the brand is partnering with sales teams and its distributor partners to develop tools, programs and plans to support restaurants and bars as they begin to reopen.
“When restaurants and bars are allowed to safely come back, we’re prepared to relaunch Peroni in a big way,” says Samantha Hickey, an associate marketing manager for the brand. “We know the important role this above-premium brand plays with consumers, and we know how important it is for on-premise retailers and distributors as well.”