Campari has announced it will launch Terrazza Aperol bars around the global to celebrate the hugely popular orange apertif.

A Terrazza Aperol in Milan will be joined by a second venue in Venice at the end of August in Campo Santo Stefano, with a program of initiatives to revive the city and its traditions, from open days in the square to the restoration of historic boats.

This is how The Rooftop Guide describes Milan’s Terrazza Aperol (above): “Found right by the majestic Duomo di Milano, Terrazza Aperol is a lively and dynamic Milano rooftop bar, paying tribute to one of the hottest drinks during recent years: the Aperol Spritz.”

“Decorated to match the popular aperitif, from the bar counter which is ‘a freeze frame of a fluid suspended in the air’ to the orange drop-shaped tables, the terrace is so close to the Duomo it almost feels like you can reach out and touch it.”

Bob Kunze-Concewitz, Chief Executive Officer of Campari Group, said: “Aperol has become the symbol of the reopening, be it in the UK, in Italy or even France, where we saw the French President celebrating with a wonderful Aperol Spritz in his hand.

“But more important than that is the fact that we’re back to recruiting new consumers quite aggressively with a lot of activation and a lot of events throughout the world. So the world continues to be turned orange.

“One nice addition, which we think is going to be strategic for the long term because it’s the beginning of a program is that we’re going to open a Terrazza Aperol in Venice. It took us more than three years to find the location and that’s where nine million tourists walk by every year. So clearly, it’s going to be a very important embassy for the brand as well as a model for more Aperol terraces, which will pop up around the globe in the years to come.”

Kunze-Concewitz said he forsees people really wanting to make the most out of their free time when they’re able to meet friends as a reaction to the pandemic.

“So I think that this ‘revenge conviviality’ is here to stay for quite a while. I mean, I don’t want to be as presumptuous and say that it’s going to be exactly like the roaring 20s after the First World War and the Spanish flu. But I wouldn’t be surprised if something like that happens, at least that is the sensation I get from whatever I’m reading and people I’m talking to.

“So it’s carpe diem, let’s make the most out of life. We’ve taken too many things were granted.”

Aperol celebrates RTD success

When it comes to at-home consumption, Kunze-Concewitz said Campari was seeing “quite a bit of consumer pull behind our ready-to-enjoy propositions, be it the SKYY Blue RTD in Mexico and in Japan, whether it’s the Wild Turkey RTDs in Australia, or Campari Soda and Aperol Spritz in Europe”.

“This is an area which is going to grow in the years to come. No question,” he noted.

“Aperol Ready to Enjoy is currently only in 10 markets [including Australia]. It represents about 5% of the total mother brand, again, it’s coming from nowhere. And what we’re seeing in all the markets is that it is additional volumes because it really is focused in the off-premise in convenience stores, and particularly warmly embraced by people who either live on their own or couples who don’t necessarily feel like they want to open a whole bottle of prosecco when fixing themselves drinks.

“So large gatherings, which is the heart and the core of Aperol, continue to be satisfied with the perfect serve with the full-size product and full-size prosecco. A case in point is Germany, where Aperol grew by 17% despite the very successful introduction of the Aperol Spritz ready-to-enjoy. We’ve also had it in Italy now, I think, five to six years, and we’ve seen the mother brand continue growing double digit on a regular basis. And again, here, we’ve kept it very pristine in the off-premise and targeting it to special occasions.”

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