Why Alan Cumming and Campari want you to ‘stay bitter’ for Negroni Week

For the iconic cocktail, Negroni's sharpness comes from Campari, an Italian liqueur. Meanwhile, on the reality competition show The Traitors, the show's bitterness stems from contestants being banished from a Scottish castle. This week, Campari is blending the two in a campaign called "Stay Bitter" that involves former show host Alan Cumming.

The content will feature on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. Both The Traitors and Campari are doing well, with The Traitors winning seven Emmy Awards last week and securing a three-season renewal. Campari, on the other hand, is launching Negroni Week, a 14-year-old tradition intended to celebrate the classic cocktail across thousands of restaurants and bars.

Campari America's head of marketing, Allison Varone, notes that Alan Cumming is currently in his moment, timing-wise. The campaign highlights eight other creative personalities, a nod to an original 1978 Campari print ad that claimed "9 out of 10,000" Americans preferred a Campari mixed with club soda. Campari's portfolio features other low-alcohol bitter aperitifs that have gained popularity among Gen Z and millennial drinkers who prefer daytime drinking over late-night clubbing.

The bright colors of Campari's Negroni, Aperol Spritz, and Sarti aid visibility on social media platforms, potentially offsetting the drink's bitterness. However, Campari's market share has not increased as rapidly as that of its competitor Aperol in the U.S. over the past five years.