Space Kicks Off 'The Moretti Movement' for Birra Moretti

Space has been working with No. 1 Italian beer brand Birra Moretti to create a campaign that celebrates the brand's authentic Italian heritage and develop its associations with food occasions.

‘The Moretti Movement’ reinforces the brand’s values and principles of enjoying good food and beer with family and friends through authentic Italian events and on-trade experiences that will engage, educate and drive drinkers to join the movement. This activity will run alongside a campaign in the on-trade, also created by Space.

‘The Moretti Movement' kicks off this summer with live Gran Tour experiences in Manchester and London that will celebrate authentic regional Italian street food in a modern way. The Gran Tour was established in Italy between around 1660 and the mid-19th century, where upper-class Europeans experienced a rite of passage by travelling around Italy, experiencing the cultural, artistic and epicurean delights of the country.

Pop-up Italian street food markets will be held in Manchester’s Old Granada Studios (17 – 20 July) and London’s Factory Seven (31 July – 3 August), dressed with genuine Italian signage and with a contemporary but rustic décor to generate an authentic Italian drinking and eating experience.

Guests will be hosted by Italian Maître Joe Hurd, who will take them on a Gran Tour journey to sample food from premium street food vendors, each representing a different region’s cuisine. Vendors include Pizza Pilgrim, Gurmetti and Cooking Cooks.

Meanwhile, on-trade activity will run throughout the summer months to grow distribution for the brand. It will provide food-orientated establishments with an added value experience, inviting drinkers to enjoy a taste of authentic Italy when they order a Moretti. Licensees will be encouraged to join ‘The Moretti Movement’ with support kits consisting of A4 boards, table-talkers and behind-the-bar quality Italian snacks: a bag of Moretti Piccolos, supplied by Crosta & Mollica.

As part of the campaign, Birra Moretti will also be a sponsor at Jamie Oliver's Big Feastival 2014, where there will be two Moretti bars.

David Lette, HEINEKEN UK Premium Brands Director, commented: “Sales have shown that there is an increasing demand for our brand within the UK market. We want to continue to engage, educate and drive consumers to understand and believe in us and our values. We want them to become part of The Moretti Movement.

“Core to this success is a greater understanding of authentic Italian food and drink occasions. Space has created a set of experiences to drive that priceless engagement through our history and values.”

Carly Wilkes, Account Director at Space, added: “Food sales in the on-trade totalled £15.3 billion in the last 12 months and the interest in quality cuisine is increasing among consumers every year. That’s why enhancing the link between the brand and food was a key part of our strategy.

“We wanted to position Birra Moretti as taking a modern approach to the traditional epicurean concept of the Gran Tour. Communicating the brand values is about embracing the important things in life, such as great beer, great food and great company.”