Negroni Week, the annual celebration of the world’s #1 classic cocktail is back for another week of drinking for a good cause. Themed “The Power of Timeless Bonds”, the 11th edition builds on the unbreakable connection between bartenders and the industry, while reinforcing the truth that there’s no Negroni without Campari.
In its bid to rally consumers into the appreciation of aforementioned bonds, this year’s activation will be Campari’s biggest yet with over 90 participating bars and counting, alongside a host of pop-up events and partnerships across Singapore from 18th – 24th September.
Grassroots to a Worldwide Movement
Launched in 2013 by Imbibe Magazine to celebrate the world’s best-selling classic cocktail with an element of raising money for charities, the first edition started as a grassroots campaign with just 120 participating bars worldwide. In an industry of fleeting activations, Negroni Week has continuously withstood the test of time and trends like its namesake. With its ethos of striving for a better future one drink at a time, the initiative has grown exponentially with thousands of venues worldwide year on year, and over US$4 million raised thus far for charitable organizations.
Come 18 – 24 September 2023, Negroni Week will once again partner with Imbibe Magazine in collaboration with Slow Food International – a global organisation dedicated to preserving traditional gastronomy and sustainable food production. Changing up the fundraising process, this year’s edition will require participating bars to donate a minimum of $25 as registration fee that will go towards the Negroni Week Fund created by Slow Food International which will then be channelled towards various local projects. Bars across the globe will also be given the liberty to donate a portion of sales from every Negroni purchased during the week to their chosen local charities.
The Power of Timeless Bonds
Since the creation of the first Negroni in 1919, Campari has remained the red heart of the drink with its unmistakable bittersweet complexity. Acknowledging the connection between bartenders, customers and craft, this year’s edition is themed to emphasise how these bonds unite to form a thriving industry that mirrors Campari as the core in every Negroni served.
Challenging bartenders to encapsulate that vital bond in a cocktail, participating bars are welcomed to create renditions imbued with personal philosophies and signature touches. Presented alongside the historic combination of equal parts gin, vermouth and Campari, Negroni lovers are encouraged to explore bars dotted around the city for a varied journey throughout the week.
This year, Negroni Week in Singapore will see a mobilisation of over 90 bars and counting. Returning participants include Jigger & Pony, Anti:dote, Tess Bar & Kitchen and more, alongside new venues such as NightHawk, Jungle Ballroom, Puffy Bois and Offtrack, just to name a few.
In an effort to further the campaign message, Campari Group will also be rounding up 10 representing bartenders to convey their inspirations and personal experiences with the cocktail through a content series that will be spotlighted across marketing collaterals and Campari Singapore’s official socials at https://www.instagram.com/camparisg.
Negroni Week 2023 Events & Partnerships
Across the campaign week, Negroni lovers can also look forward to schedule of events that play up the Italianity of the drink’s origins with music nights, aperitivo hours, a closing party and partnerships that include:
Opening Music Night at Offtrack
Date & Time: 18 September, 5pm onwards
The life of every bar besides its drinks and people, is the ambiance where it is enjoyed. With music being a key factor that contributes to the enjoyment of cocktails, Campari will be hosting its opening night at Offtrack – a bar where music is the centre of everything. Founded as a collaboration between local collectives Darker than Wax and Ice Cream Sundays, attendees can expect nothing short of an immersive backdrop with live DJs on vinyl.
Amping up the charitable element, drinkers will be given the opportunity to request their preferred tracks by filling out a request card with cash donations at their discretion as a form of music appreciation and to support Offtrack’s chosen charity partner.
Aperitivo Night at Puffy Bois
Date & Time: 21 September, 6pm onwards
Drawing inspiration from Italy’s Aperitivo culture, Campari will be holding an Aperitivo night at Puffy Bois – a cocktail meets pizza bar along Bali Lane. Co-founded by former spirits ambassador Samuel Ng who has worked behind the bar at Melbourne’s acclaimed Black Pearl, Puffy Bois has gained traction for its laid back vibe that juxtaposes smashable cocktails with excellent pizzas.
Come 21 September, drinkers can look forward to specially made pizzas fresh out of Puffy Bois’ wood-fired oven to pair their Negronis with across the night. In a bid to entice early crowds, those present between 6pm – 8pm will be treated to a complimentary slice of the campaign-exclusive pizza with every order of a Negroni.
Negroni Week X IHG Hotels & Resorts
Branching beyond bars to another realm of hospitality, Campari has partnered with IHG Hotels & Resorts to launch a suite of Negroni themed experiences across selected properties across the week, with some extending till end September. Retaining the same element of drinking for a good cause, each property will present their respective takes on the cocktail with a portion of proceeds donated to partnering charities.
● LUCE by Davide Giacomelli, Scarlet Sunday Negroni Brunch Buffet from $108++ per person: Sunday brunch programme with all-you-can-drink Negroni served out of a Negroni push cart. Available on 24th September.
● The Lobby Lounge, Negroni Flight of 3 variations at $38++: Choices include Classic Negroni, Mezcal Negroni topped with ginger passion fruit foam, and InterContinental Negroni for curious stirs of coffee and jasmine-infused vermouth and olive brine. Available from 18 to 24 September.
● Negroni Week exclusive cocktails going at $15++ from 18 – 24 September, $18++ on other dates for the month of September
● Choices include a Opus Negroni with spiced gin, a tropical inspired Opus Sbagliato with pineapple-infused Campari, and a Classic Negroni
● Enjoy bottomless Negronis during the Sunday Prosecco brunch (S148++) and Champagne brunch ($178++) packages per person respectively (excludes 17 September)
● Three Classic Negronis x Tanglin Gin in support of local producers at $20++
● Choices include Tanglin Gin’s Singapore Gin for hints of familiar Asian spices, Black Powder Gin for a peppery finish and Orchid Gin for a slight herbal flavour
● Negroni Week exclusive cocktail from 18 – 24 September
● Negroni Aperitivo Hour with light Italian bites best paired with a Negroni in hand across the early evenings of Negroni Week
● Negroni Week exclusive Fountain Punch for the perfect dinner centerpiece and photo opportunity
● Scarlet Sunday Negroni Brunch with free-flow Negroni cocktails, live DJ performance and guest bartenders serving their exclusive Negroni out of a roving bar. Available on 24September, 12.30pm – 3.30pm only.
Negroni Mooncakes X Shangri-La Orchard & Intercontinental Singapore
With Negroni Week falling during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Campari has partnered with Shangri-La Orchard and InterContinental Singapore to launch limited-edition Negroni-infused snowskin mooncakes that come with a complimentary serve of bottled Negroni.
Fashioned in a blue vintage briefcase that brings out Origin Bar’s train travel-inspired décor are 8 snowskin mooncakes in bespoke flavours that include 4 pieces of Negroni Cocktail Snowskin Mooncakes. Encased in a white chocolate skin, a combination of lotus paste, Campari, sweet vermouth, orange peel and extract brings forth the indulgence of a chocolate-infused Negroni complete with bites of its dark chocolate core.
For those in search of libations at Origin Bar itself, Head Bartender Niza has created Ying Yang Negroni – a variant that takes after its namesake, inspired by her first two days of moving to Singapore. Blending both coffee and tea flavours into one cocktail, the drink is topped with a Campari Thai Tea foam that accentuates bittersweetness with a mild hint of warm spice and earthiness.
Presented within a scarlet-red leatherette box that can be repurposed into a vanity, accessories or stationery kit, InterContinental Singapore’s variant opts for a floral approach. Wrapped in a red skin formed in the shape of peonies, the insides reveal a lotus paste that incorporates hints of Negroni with a lychee liqueur-infused white chocolate truffle centre for a refined elegance that is best enjoyed over sips of Negroni.
Enjoy Negroni Responsibly With TADA
As a group that has always advocated responsible drinking, Campari is set to revisit its partnership with Singapore’s first zero-commission ride hailing service, TADA. While last year’s partnership was limited to 50 drinkers at 5 selected venues, this year’s partnership will allow 3000 patrons to enjoy discounted TADA rides home from their purchase of Campari’s signature cocktails. To further emphasis the personal responsibility of driving safely, over 100 bars and restaurants will be instructed to display tent cards as a reminder to both consumers and industry.
This initiative will also be promoted in TADA’s app, where their users will be reminded of the availability of safe and convenient transportation options during Negroni Week, reinforcing the campaign’s core message on no drink driving. Together, Campari Group and TADA hope to create a responsible drinking culture and prioritise the safety of individuals and communities during Negroni Week.
