Campari Stirs $15 Rebate Into Alan Cumming and 'The Bitter Nine'

Campari is selling bitterness with a celebrity campaign and a price incentive.

The brand brings Alan Cumming into the latest chapter of its "Stay Bitter" platform for Negroni Week, which runs September 21 to 27.

The campaign also introduces "The Bitter Nine," a group of nine figures from entertainment, fashion, media, food, hospitality, and photography.

"[W]e reinterpreted a unique element of Campari's heritage for a contemporary audience, elevating a core product truth into a broader perspective on creativity and individuality.

Alan Cumming was a natural choice to anchor this narrative," Allison Varone, head of marketing at Campari America told DesignRush

"Alongside him, we formed The Bitter Nine with people who possess an authentic appreciation and love for the Negroni and genuinely embody the ethos of celebrating one's uniqueness."  

The hero film, created by M Booth, updates Campari's 1970s "9 out of 10,000" advertising idea.

Celebrity-led content gives each member a personal take on staying bitter.

Cumming won his third straight Emmy for hosting "The Traitors" on September 5, weeks before Campari's Negroni Week push launched.

The talent handles attention, and the promotional marketing handles the sales.

Qualifying receipts for a Campari Negroni in select U.S. markets can earn up to $15 cash back.

Campari gives an old brand idea a cultural cast, then puts a measurable purchase incentive behind it.

A 1970s Ad Powers the New Creator Platform

The hero spot places Cumming inside the campaign's archival idea as he encounters an updated version of Campari's "9 out of 10,000" ad.

The original print work positioned Campari as a drink for a small group of consumers with distinctive tastes.

The new film keeps the same premise while connecting it to Cumming's public persona and his role on "The Traitors."

The Bitter Nine expands the idea across culture and creativity. Cumming leads the group, which also includes:

• Fashion tastemaker Jalil Johnson,
• "Marie Claire" Editor-in-Chief Nikki Ogunnaike
• Chef Jonah Reider
• Creator Angel Sipilia
• Mixologist Julie Reiner

The campaign also features Jimmy Gia Huy, plus Fabiana Faria and Helena Barquet of Coming Soon New York.

"The Negroni has Campari's bitterness at its heart, and The Bitter Nine is about celebrating the people who aren't afraid to have a little bite themselves," Cumming said in a press release.

M Booth runs creative, while Palette Group handles production.

The work will run across social channels, extending the hero film through creator-led content.

Archive material hands a brand campaign a point of view that fresh creative just has to build on.

Campari now owns a September slot that it can refill each year without rebuilding the premise.

U.S. Drinking Falls 5% as Cocktails Hold Their Ground

U.S. beverage alcohol volume fell 5% in 2025, with spirits down 4%, a squeeze on every brand as drinkers cut back.

Cocktails are holding their ground, with one in three U.S. consumers ordering a mixed drink when out.

Gen Z samples an average of 11 brands and five drink categories per outing, giving distinctive serves a role in product discovery.

Premium still sells, too, as 67% of spirits drinkers say they will pay more for higher-quality drinks.

The Negroni carries one of the highest average prices per serve, giving Campari room to fund a $15 rebate.

The numbers point to a market where Campari still has room to grow despite its established role in the Negroni.

• Give consumers a reason to order. Teams should pair rebates with relevant drinking occasions to encourage trial when alcohol consumption is falling.
• Make the serve part of the brand story. Brands should connect distinctive cocktails with specific occasions to make product discovery more memorable.
• Protect premium cues when discounting. A rebate paid after purchase keeps menu prices intact and leaves the perceived value of the serve untouched.

Cocktail brands can use cultural relevance to attract attention, then give consumers a concrete reason to put the drink on their order.

Our Take: Can Campari Make Nostalgia a Repeatable Asset?

The brand has now used "Stay Bitter" with Sarah Michelle Gellar in 2025 and Alan Cumming in 2026.

The recurring platform gives Campari a structure for changing talent while keeping its core brand idea intact.

Nostalgia marketing can attract attention, but repeated callbacks need fresh cultural reasons to exist.

Gellar's campaign came with a merch capsule, live events, and a Penn Station billboard.

Cumming gets a hero film pulled from a 1970s print ad, which we think is a sharper use of the archive.

Campari bringing "Stay Bitter" back says that the first chapter did its job, and the brand has been making that case off-screen, too.

In a DesignRush interview, Campari America Head of Marketing Allison Varone discusses how the brand uses live experiences to bring its identity closer to consumers.

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