1963-2023: 60 years of Peroni Nastro Azzurro

The brand's history underlines its Italian character but also its innate international vocation, in a journey that marks Italian style in the world

L'attrice Joan Crawford firma autografi a Via Veneto (1959)Istituto Luce Cinecittà

Italy, 1950s: in a country experiencing great changes, many brands are destined to become icons of Made in Italy. The Italian “Bar” becomes the symbol of the Italian “getting together”. Soon, in the economic boom, it will become the kingdom of Peroni Nastro Azzurro

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Peroni Nastro Azzurro first label (1963)Museimpresa

The label

In 1963, from the company's creativity and know-how, the premium beer Peroni Nastro Azzurro was born. The white and blue colors are profoundly innovative for the European beer packaging and its name is inspired by the Atlantic crossing prize, won by the ocean liner Rex in 1933

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Launch kit for the new Peroni Nastro Azzurro premium beer (1963)Museimpresa

1963: the original launch kit

All the sales forces of the Company are deployed for the launch of Peroni Nastro Azzurro: the new brand is welcomed with great favor and soon carves out its own precise reference target: a new segment of demanding consumers, lovers of outdoor life and adventure

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The new neck label of the bottle of Peroni Nastro Azzurro (1965/1970)Museimpresa

The quality of Peroni Nastro Azzurro is sealed by the gold medal received at the 1965 World Beer Competition: international recognition strengthens its image and elevates the consumption target

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The new Peroni Nastro Azzurro can (1968/1975)Museimpresa

New formats for new consumption opportunities, consistent with the evolution of Italian society: bottles, cans and draft beer cover all sales channels and all consumption needs, at home and away from home

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - An original Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer pack (1970)Museimpresa

At home consumption

The first supermarket opens in Italy in 1957. The small local grocery stores are doomed to disappear and this change is going to revolutionize the market. The growth of domestic consumption with the new multipacks is a sign of well-being shared within family or friends

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The first-ever Peroni Nastro Azzurro draft system (1965)Museimpresa

Tapping the beer, why?

As with beer, wine was used to tap, that is, to pierce a barrel with a sharp iron to let the liquid come out. If consumed in a short period of time, the tapped product guarantees fragrance, aroma and freshness

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - An original crate of Peroni Nastro Azzurro in plastic (1970)Museimpresa

Sea, travel and adventure are constant references within Peroni Nastro Azzurro’s packaging. The brand thus maintains its innovative promise and premiumness, differentiating itself from the graphics of all the competitors

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Gathering of the Birra Peroni local sales force (1963)Museimpresa

The Italian "Piazza"

The "Italian Piazza" is the place where Peroni Nastro Azzurro expresses itself at its best, rooting in the territory with its special style

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Award ceremony of the "Birra Peroni Nastro Azzurro", 1965/1970, From the collection of: Museimpresa
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Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Victory of the "Beer Peroni Nastro Azzurro" sports trophy, 1966/1970, From the collection of: Museimpresa
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Sport is one of the key areas of Peroni Nastro Azzurro's success. Starting in the 70s, but it is in the 80s that it becomes the ideal field of expression for the brand. Even internally, the Company team uses the Peroni Nastro Azzurro brand for company and intercompany tournaments

Archivio Storico Piaggio - Vespa 50 advertising leaflet (1965)Museimpresa

The fabulous 60s

Among the Made in Italy icons, the Vespa Piaggio cannot be missing, a timeless symbol of happiness and freedom (Archivio Storico Piaggio)

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Image for the Peroni Nastro Azzurro advertising campaign (1974)Museimpresa

The Peroni Nastro Azzurro sailor girl in the '70

One of the iconic images created by the most famous Italian art director of those times, Armando Testa, for Peroni Nastro Azzurro. The blonde testimonial is wrapped in a blue ribbon which from now on has a precise and unmistakable pantone

1975: in a "Carosello", a famous Italian TV programme of commercials, a young blond woman pronounces the legendary phrase 'Call me Peroni, I'll be your beer' (disliked by the feminist movement!) and transforms herself into the famous Peroni Nastro Azzurro

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Advertising image by Peroni Nastro Azzurro (1984/1987)Museimpresa

The sailing sponsorships

The 1980s gives birth to the great sailing sponsorships for Peroni Nastro Azzurro: a world of adventure, friendship, love for the sea that nourishes the identity and the style of the brand

Friendship, travel, enjoying the sea and adventure are the ingredients in Peroni Nastro Azzurro's TV and cinema commercial in 1986

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The evolution of the Peroni Nastro Azzurro bottle (2013)Museimpresa

The evolution of the bottle and style up to 2000

The history of the tangible cultural heritage of the brand shows how the Peroni Nastro Azzurro bottle evolves, maintaining its promise of style and its values of innovation 

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The original billboard campaign for the London tube (1999)Museimpresa

Peroni Nastro Azzurro in London

At the end of the 90s Peroni Nastro Azzurro lands in the United Kingdom. The 2000 campaign occupies the London tube and is centered on Italian symbols: it is the beginning of an international success that paves the way for the subsequent global launch

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Global launch of Peroni Nastro Azzurro (2005)Museimpresa

The global launch

A single bottle of Peroni Nastro Azzurro, displayed in a shop window on the elegant Sloane Street in London, marks the start of the global launch of the brand in 2005: the bottle becomes a diva and no one is allowed to enter the shop to buy it!

Roberto Cavalli's story of the global launch

Roberto Cavalli, former Integrated Supply Chain Director, talks about the global launch of Peroni Nastro Azzurro in 2005

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Original postcard of the Rex transatlantic linerMuseimpresa

The legend of the ocean liner SS Rex

In the narrative created for the global launch of Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the link to the the ocean liner SS Rex winning the ‘Blue Ribband’ award in 1933, cannot be missing

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The House of Peroni Manifesto displayed on a wall (2017)Museimpresa

Peroni Nastro Azzurro "Manifesto"

Since 2013 the House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro in London becomes the place of Italian excellence. The “Manifesto” recalls Carlo Peroni, chosen as the face of communication for his style and the embodiment of the Italian "bella figura"

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - An image of the communication campaign (2022)Museimpresa

One world, one brand

2022 is the key year for Nastro Azzurro, which in Italy goes back to its original name Peroni Nastro Azzurro, to be aligned with the global brand. The communication campaign shows the original 1963 pack beside the current one, in an emotional launch into the future

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The new Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% (2022)Museimpresa

In the same year 2022, the no-alcohol version of Peroni Nastro Azzurro is launched: zero alcohol and lots of taste for a beer that helps achieve the company's sustainability objectives

The inaugural evening of the House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro in Rome in 2022. After telling the story of Italian style abroad, Peroni Nastro Azzurro indulges in the luxury of a refined residence, Palazzo Dama, to celebrate the pride of its roots and of Made in Italy

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - The last born of the Peroni Nastro Azzurro family (2023)Museimpresa

A Capri "State of mind", wherever

Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri is the last born in the PNA family: its name is intended to express a state of mind, not a specific place. You can feel as comfortable as on a summer beach at any time of the year, with the right beer in your hand!

"Vivi ogni momento/Live every moment' advertising campaign

The global campaign was created with the idea of celebrating all over the world the ability of us Italians to live every moment to the full and with passion, making it unique. In Italy, the spot marks the debut of Peroni Nastro Azzurro with its new, internationally unified look

On 30 January 2024 Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% and Scuderia Ferrari HP announced a new global partnership...

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni - Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% team partner di Scuderia Ferrari (2024)Museimpresa

...to celebrate the passion and style of which the two brands are the symbol, with the aim of enhancing the racing experience for fans all over the world.

To mark the launch of the partnership, a limited edition of 2024 "Tifosi Nastro Azzurro 0.0%" bottles, numbered from 1 to 2024, has been produced, a message of love for Scuderia Ferrari's fans, the Tifosi, who are recognised for their great passion on the F1 starting grids.

Credits: Story

Archivio Storico Birra Peroni; Archivio Storico Piaggio

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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