Peroni

In 2004, The agency The Bank asked me to help them reposition their client SAB Miller's beer brand Nastro Azurro. At that time it was called 'Nastro Azurro', but everyone referred to it as ‘Peroni’ and it was basically the generic beer to order with a pizza here in the UK. The project was a gem – ‘Made in Italy’ counts for a lot around the world, and it was the celebration of this simple fact that transformed the brand into the flag carrying beer brand of Italy. The only beer that could legitimately align itself as the only true 'style' brand in the beer business, leading to logical associations with, amongst others, NY Fashion Week. 'Made in Italy' has become the overriding thought that influences everything the brand does and says. By changing nothing, we changed everything. Peroni also led to my one and only dip into the world of branded merchandising. The brief Alex McReynolds (now Executive Creative Director of WHAM) and I set ourselves for the glass was simple – 'make it nickable'. The Bank won a design award for the merchandise, and I have it on good authority that the glasses in particular have a very short shelf life.