Marketing / Brand builder: Blue-chip ships

With its £1 million sponsorship of the Nautor Swan 45 fleet, Peroni Nastro Azzurro is returning to its nautical associations – with effortless Italian style, of course, says Clinton Cawood

BELLA FIGURA is a philosophy that permeates much of Italian life. Meaning “beautiful figure”, it refers not only to appearance, but to good taste and etiquette as well. Peroni Nastro Azzurro represents this philosophy applied to beer.
Since its initial investment in Peroni in 2003, SABMiller has been building on the brand’s Italian style and heritage. A combination of sponsorship, advertising and other marketing devices have propelled this brand in a number of markets around the world.

Most recently, Peroni’s £1 million sponsorship of Nautor’s Swan 45 fleet has returned the beer brand to the world of sailing. Peroni sponsored a number of regattas and boats in the 1980s and 1990s, including the America’s Cup yacht Azzurra. This new sponsorship links Peroni with Nautor, the manufacturer of quality yachts that  has been owned by Italian businessman Leonardo Ferragamo since 1998.

Chris Taylor, Peroni Nastro Azzurro international brand director, explains: “We were looking for a long-term sponsorship, and sailing seemed like the sweet spot. It hits the right stylish, trend-setter audience, and is true to the brand.”

This sponsorship is effective on multiple levels. As Taylor says, “There’s something crisp and refreshing about being at sea,” with the implication that the premium lager shares these characteristics. Additionally, Nastro Azzurro means “blue riband”, a distinction originally given to the ship that held the record for the fastest transatlantic crossing. It later came to be associated with the fastest or best in a number of sports, as well as the most prestigious event. It was also the name that Birra Peroni gave to the premium beer it created in the early 1960s.

Birra Peroni has, however, been brewing beer since 1846. Both the original, red-labelled Peroni and Nastro Azzurro operate in Italy, but the premium offering has become the global brand. In 2003, SABMiller acquired a majority stake in Birra Peroni, and acquired the rest within a year and a half. “We had to choose between the two beers for the international market,” says Taylor. The premium Nastro Azzurro was chosen, with Peroni made more prominent on the label.

“When we discovered it, it had lost some of its Italian style,” says Taylor. “It’s always been a great beer, but the presentation wasn’t always up to that standard.” The primary order of business, therefore, was a sleek, retro redesign, launched in early 2005, and supported by a striking marketing stunt. Emporio Peroni was set up on London’s Sloane Street, a boutique that featured a single Peroni bottle on a pedestal, and allowed only window shopping. It linked the brand to style and fashion, and left no doubts about the brand’s exclusive positioning.

This year has seen the association of the brand with the 1960 Federico Fellini film La Dolce Vita. The advertising campaign is a homage to the classic film that created a global appreciation for effortless Italian style. The launch of the campaign was accompanied by screenings of the full-length advert around London, projected onto cultural and iconic spaces. The advert itself features the grace and style of the original film, including the famous fountain scene, as well as the requisite paparazzi.

The campaign is tied to the modern day via a new three-dimensional website, that also features podcasts by contemporary celebrities, such as Nancy Dell’Olio, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s partner. As for the future, Peroni’s association with Nautor’s Swan 45 is set to grow. The sponsorship was launched at the beginning of August at England’s Skandia Cowes Week, the world’s oldest yachting regatta. The fleet will also participate in the Rolex Swan Cup in Porto Cervo in Sardinia this month.

There are plans to be involved with as many as 10 regattas next year, according to Taylor. He also suggests the possibility of establishing some new yachting events around the world as part of the growing, long-term association. More than a sponsorship, Taylor says, “We want to feel like there’s a relationship between the Swan 45 boats and Peroni.”
As far as advertising is concerned, there is the suggestion of further activity related to La Dolce Vita, owing to the positive response from consumers.

From here, Peroni’s growth around the world seems likely to continue, helped by its ownership by SABMiller. As Taylor says, “We want to extend the Peroni footprint around the world, to anywhere that Italian style is aspirational.” And given Italy’s well-deserved repuitation for style, that leaves plenty of room for expansion.

© db September 2006