Objective

To create a new generation of professionals who spread the positive values of responsible drinking.

To disseminate a culture of responsible drinking.

To share the “art of drinking well”.

Description

Campari has believed in the value of promoting responsible drinking since its inception. The creation of the Campari Academy was of vital importance in building on the tradition of Campari and constitutes an important resource for conveying the passion and expertise acquired over time by industry professionals. It is a training school of excellence, founded in 2012 in Sesto San Giovanni (Milan) to offer Campari employees, sector professionals and enthusiasts from all over the world a high-quality and varied programme about the world of bartending and bar management.

The programme

The Academy offers a complete bartending and bar management programme, suitable for both professionals and enthusiasts. Courses are divided into different categories based on the training path that attendees decide to follow. At the end of each course, a certificate is issued certifying the attendee’s participation. Lessons are given by qualified teachers, international bartenders, cultural and lifestyle experts, and trendsetters. They focus on technique, creativity and passion, entrepreneurship and professional empowerment. 

Responsible Serving

Bartenders are one of the key resources in promoting a culture of responsible drinking: they play an essential role in promoting proper drinking habits and educating consumers by their example. In fact, bartenders have the opportunity and responsibility to offer their customers the best drinking experience by focusing on the quality of the mixed drink rather than the quantity. 

Therefore, the core of the programme is sharing a culture of excellence as a direct expression of Campari’s founding values. Also, courses include a masterclass devoted to low ABV drinks and on correctly calculating the alcohol content in drinks.

In addition, responsible drinking guidelines were launched in 2014. They consist of six essential rules for the responsible serving of alcoholic beverages. The rules cover: knowing the legal drinking age and asking for age confirmation if necessary; avoiding anti-social behaviours close to the premises; recognising when someone has drunk enough; maintaining responsible behaviour; being careful not to promote or encourage the excessive consumption and encouraging responsible drinking. The guidelines were shared with all marketing managers, bartenders who serve at Campari events, and the Academies between 2014 and 2019. 

Campari Academy’s mission expanded and grew over the years, not only in the preparation of the perfect serve, but also supporting the careers of professional bartenders with a 360° approach. This approach goes beyond bartending and explores the professional hard and soft skills that a bartender should have. Excellence in a drink becomes a broader experience, requiring not only premium products but also an equally excellent service. In support of this new approach, Campari created the 10 Golden Rules for Responsible and Quality Serving in 2020. The Rules list ten essential recommendations for responsible serving of alcoholic drinks. They cover:

1. Knowing the legal drinking age and asking for age confirmation if necessary.
2. Remembering the risks of drink-driving and encouraging alternative means of transport.
3. Recognising when to stop serving alcohol.
4. Discouraging alcohol consumption by pregnant women.
5. Promoting moderate alcohol consumption.
6. Choosing high-quality products and keeping to the right measures.
7. Maintaining responsible behaviour.
8. Guaranteeing the highest standards and making customers feel at home.
9. Avoiding anti-social behaviours close to the premises.
10. Limiting the use of plastic and acting responsibly towards the planet and towards customers.

The guidelines are shared with all marketing managers, bartenders who serve at Campari events, participants of all training courses at the Academies, and with all participants of the Bartender Hero course.

Serving and Sustainability

From 2020, a course on the Zero Waste world was introduced, which is a very popular topic in the bartending community. It explains the concept of waste, the Zero Waste philosophy and how to apply it to the bar, taking inspiration from existing international realities. Bartenders are taught how to use 100% of commonly used raw materials in the bar and how to create drinks with waste products that would normally be thrown away, in addition to receiving a series of tips on how to avoid waste of any kind in the bar. Campari Academy also set up a practical workshop where bartenders create drinks using waste raw materials from the daily life of a bar. In addition, Campari Academy promotes a ‘perfect serve’ made without using plastic straws.

Growing the Academy

Following the example of Italy, Campari has created over the years an international network of Academies united under the concept of excellence to train, inspire and connect the global bartender community. A strong local Campari Academy network of 20 physical hubs has been created in key markets around the world, with teams in Argentina, Austria, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Jamaica, the United States and Spain with more to follow.

Also, between 2016 and 2018, the Campari Academy Truck, a specially fitted-out truck, travelled around Italy to highlight the art of ‘drinking well’, a reference point for training and sharing the culture of drinking responsibly. The topics included the correct combination of cocktails and gourmet recipes, a focus on quality and on responsible serving. Campari’s Responsible Serving Guidelines were also given to participants.

Global Online Platform

Launched in May 2022, the Global Online Platform draws on the success of the Academy network to create a platform that is accessible to all bartenders all over the world to connect and discuss news and trends, share ideas and goals, and grow their own professional network. Campari Academy also works with a global network of leading voices from a range of disciplines and backgrounds that complement the spirits industry to create engaging and inspiring content, from product and mixology to general knowledge, techniques and cocktail development. It also provides tailored hubs for Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, including two general hubs, one for Asia and one Global, both in English.

Docuseries Perspectives

Perspectives, led by Monica Berg, was also launched 2022. It deep dives into poignant topics with global significance relating to the drinks industry and hospitality, and how they’re interpreted around the world. The docuseries consists of top-quality bite-sized episodes filmed around the world working with a range of experts. Each theme is explored across three episodes, exploring a range of perspectives and providing inspiration from a variety of cultures.

Social media

The Campari Academy regularly posts on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Many of the regional Campari Academy teams also have social media pages.

Results

In 2023, 2,200 bartenders took part in Italy. Also, guidelines were shared with 10,000 people at trade shows, during courses and online activities, and at over 1,200 Campari events. 

In 2022, 2,000 bartenders were trained in Italy. Also, guidelines were shared with 6,000 people at trade shows, during courses and online activities, and at over 1,000 Campari events.

In 2021, 3,800 bartenders were trained in Italy. Also, over 1,000 Campari events promoted the guidelines.  

In 2020, most of the events planned for the year did not take place due to repeated lock-down periods. However, 1,500 bartenders were trained.

In 2019, the Responsible Serving Guidelines were shared with bartenders at 95% of the 3,000+ Campari events.

In 2018, the Truck visited 21 cities, and 105 events were held. The Responsible Serving Guidelines were shared with bartenders who worked for the Group at over 90% of the 2,700 Campari events.

In 2017, the Truck visited 23 cities reaching around 5,000 participants. In addition, the Responsible Serving Guidelines were shared with bartenders at 95% of the 2,600 Campari events.

In 2016, the Truck visited 23 cities hosting over 100 courses, reaching around 2,300 participants.

In 2015, the Campari Academies in Sesto San Giovanni and Munich held 160 events reaching 3,090 people, of whom 2,970 were bartenders. Also, the Responsible Serving Guidelines were shared with all marketing managers in 16 of the countries in which Campari has its own distribution network.

In 2014, the Academy held 135 events reaching 1,800 people, including 650 bartenders. In addition, the Responsible Serving Guidelines were shared with all marketing managers in ten of the 19 countries in which Campari has its own distribution network. They were also shared with 50 bartenders who continually work to support Campari events in Jamaica.

In 2013, the Academy in Italy held 90 events reaching 995 people.

Website

https://www.campariacademy.com/

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