The Story
Campari was created in 1860 by gaspare campari, a “maître licoriste” or
master drink maker born near Milan, Italy. He apprenticed at the age of only
14 in Turin at the prestigious Caffé Liquoreria Bass, and became “maître licoriste”
at the renowned Cambio Restaurant. On moving to Milan, he opened the Bar
Campari on via Borsinari, but struck gold when he moved that establishment to
the new magnificent Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, the hub of Milan, and renamed
the bar Caffé Campari.
In 1915, Gaspare’s son, Davide, opened his own bar near his father’s
landmark establishment. The Camparino was unique as it featured a system that
guaranteed a continuous flow of cool soda water directly from the basement, thus
enabling the bar to offer clients the perfect Campari and soda.
Davide Campari was an innovator and a patron of the arts.
He is considered one of the founding fathers of using art in advertising. He
revolutionized the field by commissioning famous artists of the day to create
works for Campari Bitters. Today, many of these commissioned works are
viewed as cutting-edge ideas in advertising and are displayed in museums
around the world, as well as the Galleria Campari at Gruppo Campari
headquarters near Milan
