Why has the spritz been so successful in our country?

BarcelonaIts striking orange color is eye-catching, and now that summer has arrived, it's taking center stage among the cold drinks populating bar terraces. Campari—and soda or sparkling water—topped off with a slice of orange. As with so many other Italian products, the spritz has been an overwhelming success in Catalonia.

The origins of the spritz – from German Sprizan, which means to sprinkle—date back to the early 19th century, when Austro-Hungarian troops diluted the wines of Veneto with sparkling water. A century ago, the custom of having an aperitif in Italy became established, and the spritz was mixed with bitters. This was helped by the emergence of two iconic brands: in Venice, the Pilla brothers created the Select bitters, and in Padua, the Barbieri brothers created Aperol. The acquisition of Aperol by the Campari drinks group two decades ago, a massive international promotional campaign, and the inclusion of the Aperol-based spritz as one of the official cocktails of the International Bartenders Association (IBA) have underpinned its success.

Overall, Aperol is the number one brand in the Campari Group's catalog. In Spain, its growth "has accelerated significantly" in the last five years, notes Andrea Ceccarini, Consumer, Channel and Customer Marketing Director of the Campari Group in Spain. He attributes its success to "a combination of factors": from the color, which "evokes joy and shared moments," to the "perfectly balanced" flavor between sweet and bitter, to its fit with the growing preference for light drinks thanks to its medium alcohol content. It has thus become "a contemporary icon of the Mediterranean lifestyle."

Aperol advertising galore

To get to this point, a significant investment in advertising has been essential, combined with experiential marketing initiatives in iconic venues, terraces, and festivals, explains Ceccarini, "initiatives that have allowed Aperol Spritz to integrate naturally into consumer habits." Bartender Damià Mulà, now head of R&D at 100% Barman—which offers techniques and equipment for chefs and bartenders—experienced this firsthand a dozen years ago at the Elephanta cocktail bar in Barcelona's Gràcia neighborhood. "They gave you Aperol, they even brought the bartender with them... it was a huge advertising boom," he recalls.

That effort by Aperol to make itself known came just as it revived the tradition of making vermouth at home. So, in a country where we are "people of vermouth and gatherings," Mulà believes the spritz couldn't go unnoticed: "We have this traditional confluence very similar to Italy." Furthermore, its lower price than other cocktails, generous serving size, low alcohol content, and ease of preparation, even at home, have all contributed to this. "It's a very easy, very refreshing drink that everyone likes, and you can choose from a variety: if you want it more bitter, with Campari, and sweeter, with Aperol," explains Mulà, but there are even more versions.

There are eight in thespritzometer that shines in a mirror of the Spritz bar in Barcelona: from the sweetest, Hugo, which has become fashionable lately –instead of bitters, they use elderflower liqueur– or Limoncello to the most bitter with Campari in 2007 a group of four customers reopened, like Michele, who explains the success of the spritz in the blink of an eye: "Everyone from my mother to my son drinks it."

In recent years, the bar's clientele has changed, with a notable emphasis on tourists due to its location near the cathedral: the average age has dropped from 35 to around 20-25, and people are drinking earlier than before. Michele, while bartender Giacomo Giannotti, from the also Barcelona-based cocktail bar Paradiso—voted the best in the world in 2022—adds to the growing desire to drink less: "There's a trend toward drinking earlier and cocktails with a lower percentage of alcohol," a segment in which "spritz" is the "spritz."

Paradiso is a signature cocktail bar, but on the terrace, the spritz is a favorite. According to Giannotti, it has "a bit of an aperitif that's a killer," due to its color, because it has a bitterness even though it's sweet, its low alcohol content, and its refreshing profile, so "it's not the classic cocktail with juices or syrups," but rather provides a little more complexity without being expensive. In his opinion, it's no longer a fad, because it's held a prominent position for years. "I think it's an exceptional success story of how this drink has taken center stage during the aperitif, which in Mediterranean culture is an important time of day," he emphasizes.

Italian products are liked

Many bartenders of Italian origin have settled in Barcelona and have served as ambassadors for its products and customs, like Giannotti. "When I came thirteen years ago, the more bitter flavors weren't as appreciated, but little by little, it was our job to educate the palate of the local clientele," he says. Michele adds that Italian cuisine tends to be "direct, with simple tastes." You don't need to go into too much detail to understand it, which is why people love pizza and pasta so much. Furthermore, in Italy, good products are valued, the association of gastronomy with happy people has been conveyed, and its food and drink are appreciated here.

Looking to the future, Mulà believes it will be like the gin and tonic, which "remains at the forefront of popular drinks," but still has room to grow. According to the beverage consultancy IWSR, the consumption of aperitifs like the spritz increased by 8% in Spain between 2018 and 2023, and growth of a further 5% is expected through 2028. The annual 2025 cocktail trends report highlights champagne as the preferred drink for gatherings with friends, and that in Spain it is the preferred drink for 41% of those surveyed. According to Ceccarini, "the future of the spritz is promising," with a significant role for the new generations and its consumption beyond the aperitif.