The Brandtender

The Challenge - Elevating Italian Tradition Through Cocktail Culture

Ponti, a historic Italian brand known for its balsamic vinegars and aperitivi, has been synonymous with quality in kitchens across Europe for over 150 years. But in a world where consumers are increasingly discovering brands through lifestyle experiences, Ponti needed to extend its story beyond the dinner table.

The opportunity? To connect Ponti to the growing culture of Italian cocktail craft — a space where heritage ingredients could meet modern creativity.

‍

Our Approach

We partnered with Ponti to bring their products into the world of mixology through recipe development and photography for a major publishing collaboration.

Working alongside author Paul Feinstein for his book Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia (Cider Mill Press), we created four unique cocktail recipes showcasing Ponti products as both hero and hidden gem ingredients.

Recipe Development: Crafted original cocktails that balanced Italian tradition with modern sophistication — from aperitivi spritzes to balsamic-infused twists on classics.

Photography: Directed and styled recipe photography to highlight Ponti’s bottles as integral to the experience, not just supporting elements.

Integration into Culture: Ensured recipes fit seamlessly into a book that profiles bartenders, bars, classic drinks, liqueurs, and 100+ Italian cocktail recipes — positioning Ponti alongside Italy’s most iconic drinking traditions.

Execution

Four Signature Cocktails created exclusively for the book, each tied to a Ponti product:

- Negroni Balsamico — a layered twist on the classic Negroni, elevated by aged balsamic.

- Delicato Spritz — a vibrant aperitivo brightened by Ponti’s Dolceagro Il Delicato.

- Sbagliato Rosso — an effervescent balance of cherry balsamic and Lambrusco.

- Caffè Modena — a decadent espresso martini enlivened with chili balsamic heat.

Photography & Styling: Each cocktail was shot with Ponti products in frame, elevating the brand as part of the cultural ritual of Italian cocktails.

Book Placement: Recipes published in Italy Cocktails alongside profiles of Italian bartenders, liqueurs, and iconic bars — weaving Ponti into the narrative of Italy’s drinking culture.

Results

4 exclusive Ponti cocktail recipes published in Italy Cocktails (Cider Mill Press).

High-visibility brand integration in a book distributed globally, positioning Ponti as both a culinary and cocktail brand.

Elevated brand relevance by linking Ponti to Italian mixology and lifestyle experiences.

‍

The Impact

Through this collaboration, Ponti stepped into the cocktail world with authenticity and flair. By showcasing its vinegars and aperitivi in a modern mixology context, the brand transcended the kitchen and entered a new cultural conversation.

Ponti is now not only a trusted companion for cooking — it’s an essential ingredient in the evolving story of Italian cocktail craft.

Creative Strategy . Design & Content

2023

Ponti

next