Clive Owen to front new Campari campaign

British actor Clive Owen has been announced as the face of Campari’s Red Diaries promotional campaign.

Clive Owen appears in the seven-minute short film Killer in Red as part of Campari’s Red Diaries campaign (Photo: Campari)

The actor, who has starred in hit films such as Children of Men and The Bourne Identity, joins the ranks of stars who have previously taken the lead of Campari campaigns, including Kate Hudson (star of last year’s Campari calendar), Eva Green and Jessica Alba.

Representing what Campari describes as a “step-change in the brand’s communication”, Campari Red Diaries is based on the idea that “every cocktail tells a story”.

The campaign “celebrates cocktails as a form of art and a powerful vehicle for expression by shining a light on the experiences and emotions that inspire bartenders to create and share their craft”.

“I was honoured to be chosen to shoot Killer in Red as part of the 2017 Campari Red Diaries campaign, particularly since this year represents the brand’s first foray into the world of cinematography and film. Working with Paolo was a real pleasure,” Owen said.

More news…

Campari launches $760m takeover of Grand Marnier
Campari unveils latest art labels

Captivating month by month, the 2017 Campari Red Diaries journey harnesses the richness of storytelling, using short films as a vehicle for the first time to guide Campari lovers on an imaginative journey through a year-long series of cocktail stories from across the globe, to be shared with consumers via Campari’s official YouTube channel.

The founding story, a noir called Killer in Red, was written and directed by the Italian director Paolo Sorrentino and stars Owen. The seven-minute short film tells the tale of the never-before-seen eponymous cocktail.

Kate Hudson was the face of the 2015 Campari calendar

Killer in Red is complemented by a collection of 12 cocktail stories, each of which brings focuses on the artistry of 14 bartenders from all over the world. Each is brought to fruition by young and emerging Italian director Ivan Olita.

While the content will appear exclusively on Campari’s official YouTube channel, the premiere of Killer in Red and the full unveil of Campari Red Diaries will take place on 24 January 2017 in Rome – home to the Cinecittà film studio, a symbol of Italian cinema.

On writing and directing Killer in Red, Paolo Sorrentino said: “With this year’s campaign embracing the realm of film, I really wanted to ensure I harnessed the theme of storytelling with an intriguing intensity. Working with Clive was fantastic – his compelling presence and enthusiasm allowed me to create a short film which I hope proves fresh, inspiring and imaginative.”

Bob Kunze-Concewitz, Gruppo Campari CEO, added: “This year’s campaign, Campari Red Diaries, centres on bringing to life the stories that inspire bartenders all around the world to innovate and create cocktail recipes we all are privileged to enjoy.

“The direction taken with this year’s campaign is unique – we have used film for the first time in the brand’s history, to guide fans on an imaginative journey, while also celebrating the flavour complexity and versatility of Campari that too inspires such imaginative recipe creation.

“The ever-charismatic Clive was the perfect subject to depict Paolo’s intense narrative and we’re very much looking forward to unveiling the full campaign come January.”