Our
history

As Gaspare’s Passion grew together with the brand, he identified an opportunity to run his business from the newly built Galleria Vittorio Emanuele Il, the cultural epicentre of Milano. He moved into the majestic new building and named it Caffè Campari which looked toward the iconic Piazza Duomo.

Here Davide Campari, heir of the Campari business, was born on 17th November 1867.

In homage to his late father’s Caffè Campari, Davide created the bar Camparino in Galleria.
It revolutionised the way the bitter was enjoyed, and introduced the lifestyle of Red Passion to the Milanese people, creating the aperitivo they adore to this day and maintaining its influence in culture.

Figure: The Camparino in Galleria photographed in 1925

From the very beginning, Campari has pushed the boundaries of creativity to go beyond the norm, and this is evident in the unforgettable advertising that made the brand what it is today. As art became more geometrical and dynamic, Campari embraced Depero’s Red Passion made up of mechanical designs and organic shapes, leading to an important turning point for the brand’s communication.

Figure: Fortunato Depero, 1928

Artists such as Attilio Rossi, Giovanni Mingozzi and Nino Nanni took inspiration from the word of sports expressing in its posters the Red Passion of Campari.

The Aperitivo Olympics by Nino Nanni, 1960

It was illustrator Franz Marangolo who, in the 60s and 70s, drew the
last posters for Campari before photography became the key method of publicity. The protagonists of Marangolo’s works recalled the actors and actresses of the age, such as Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. His illustrations described the modern urban lifestyle, the hustle and bustle, and leisure time.

The 80s was a period of economic growth and luxurious lifestyle, with Campari leading the way with exclusive and distinctive consumption occasions, owning, in particular, the “Italian Milanese aperitif”, a moment to network and display one’s status in society.

Campari launched the “Red Passion” advertising campaign, based on the brand’s four fundamental values: passion, a cosmopolitan approach, uniqueness, and prestige.

The very first edition of the Campari calendar was released, featuring Realitza Baleva photographed by Andrea Varani.

The stunning Eva Mendes, photographed by Marino Parisotto, interpreted twelve glamorous, glossy tales featuring her alluring sensuality and beauty for the 2008 Campari Calendar “Campari Tales”.

In the 2010 Campari Calendar we find ourselves on the Milan tram number 609 with seductive protagonist Olga Kurylenko, as the city reveals itself little by little with Campari breathing Red Passion into every frame. Shot by Simone Nervi.

The Campari Art Labels were created by international artists Vanessa Beecroft, Romero Britto, Ufo Nespolo, Francesca Valan and Tobias Rehberger as a celebration of Campari’s 150th Anniversary. This became a tradition that marked the connection between brand, product and art, and is now replicated each year.

The 2011 Calendar photographed by Michel Comte tells the intriguing story of a charismatic art connoisseur interpreted by Benicio Del Toro, who receives a mysterious message setting him on a fascinating adventure to uncover a ring of illegal art dealers and rescue a beautiful woman. The Red Affair sought to capture the audience through an engaging and intriguing cinematic story told through a series of photographs.

No number in the world has more magical and enigmatic meaning than 13. Starring the iconic Penelope Cruz, the 2013 Campari Calendar takes the audience on a stunning visual voyage, showcasing 13 vivid shots of intriguing and mystical superstitions, such as black cats, broken mirrors, walking under ladders and walking on cracks. The Calendar takes this opportunity to instil confidence in people across the world, underlining that self-belief enables any superstition to be overcome.

This 2015 dreamlike imagery featuring Eva Green depicts the beautiful and little-known anecdotes, tales and curiosities behind each iconic Campari recipe. From the classic Negroni cocktail, created by Count Camillo Negroni in 1919, to the Americano in 1933 and all the way to the creation of the Campari Seltz, the most popular drink in the Bar Camparino in Galleria in Milan, the Calendar explores and celebrates the recipes that have stood the test of time and are still adored in today’s modern world.

Inspired by the instantly recognisable iconography of any election, the 2016 Campari Calendar uses the classic theme as a metaphor for the duality of two opposing sides. With Campari’s unique taste serving as the epitome of duality, the Calendar cleverly asks people which aspect of the classic apéritif they identify with more: Bitter or Sweet. Kate Hudson embodies and personifies the two souls of Campari, playing the roles of two different candidates: one promoting the captivating bitterness and the other supporting a more subtle, intriguing sweetness.

The Oscar-winning Paolo Sorrentino wrote and directed an intriguing noir starring leading man Clive Owen. In the role of bartender Floyd, he told the story of the Killer in Red cocktail. The film inaugurated Red Diaries, the cinematic evolution of the Campari calendar.

The 2019 Campari Red Diaries short film, directed by Matteo Garrone, followed the intriguing Ana de Armas as her curious soul prompts her to begin a journey of discovery, led by her Red Passion.

Campari launched Red Diaries 2021: a pioneering project in homage to the late Federico Fellini, named Fellini Forward. Using Artificial Intelligence techniques, it explored the creative genius of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time to create a one-of-a-kind short film. A documentary showcased the full project, covering the process from start to finish and exploring the future of cinema and human vs. machine creative collaboration.