Francesco Pizzo
French actress Eva Green is the face of the 2015 Campari calendar, entitled Mythology Mixology. Campari is teasing the calendar with behind-the-scenes images and a video, featuring Green, announcing the project.
This 16th edition has been photographed by Julia Fullerton-Batten, an acclaimed fine art photographer, and the first female who has shot a Campari calendar.
The 12 months celebrate Campari’s history and its best loved classic cocktails. Each month tells the story behind the cocktail, with anecdotes and trivia.
Campari believes that there has been a classic trend over the last decade, and an interest in history, which the calendar attempts to tap into.
While some may dispute the presence of a classic trend, Campari has been on the pulse in recent years with its calendars. Notably, in 2008, Jessica Alba appeared in its 10th anniversary edition. Other calendar stars include Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes, Milla Jovovich, Penélope Cruz and Uma Thurman.
Green, whose Penny Dreadful series is currently netting her headlines in the lead role of Vanessa Ives, came to prominence in Bertolucci’s The Dreamers (2002), and as Bond girl Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale (2006), for which she won a BAFTA. She has recently been seen in 300: Rise of an Empire and will soon be seen in Sin City: a Dame to Kill for.
‘To work with an iconic worldwide brand such as Campari is an honour and a privilege. There is something very special about this year’s theme as it strikes a compelling and almost magical balance between the classic and the contemporary. At the root of each image is this rich sense of history behind each of Campari’s best-loved cocktails but they are presented in a way that is ultra-modern, exuding imagination and style. It’s a thing of incredible beauty and clearly shows that whilst some of these recipes are over 100 years old, they are still relevant to and adored in today’s world,’ said Green in a release.
Fullerton-Benton is known for her series, Teenage Stories (2005), which followed the transition of a teenage girl into womanhood. Campari says that the photos will carry her hallmarks of creative settings, unusual locations and cinematic lighting.
‘Campari has always had an inherent ability to recreate itself and keep the brand image fresh, inspiring and imaginative—a goal I constantly strive towards in my own work, too. This year’s theme was an interesting challenge, as there was an important job to do in terms of taking historical anecdotes and invigorating them with a modern edge. I’m confident we managed to strike that delicate balance with this year’s imagery,’ says Fullerton-Batten.
Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Gruppo Campari says, ‘Though there has always been a sense of timelessness around our classic cocktails, we’ve been hearing reports from bartenders all over the world that there has been a surging popularity for classic recipes like the Negroni and the Americano. This year’s Campari Calendar is designed to celebrate those enduring recipes and the heritage behind them, so we’re very much looking forward to unveiling it later in the year.’
Francesco Pizzo