Peroni’s Twelve Pubs of Christmas
How this classic Italian beer brand took on the London pub scene at the busiest time of the year, and gave back in style.
The Challenge:
Towards the end of last year, Peroni came to us with a clear challenge relating specifically to the on-trade in Central London.
Within London, Peroni was firmly established as a premium beer. With a rise in challenger brands in the premium world lager category, Peroni needed to stand out amongst increased competition and noise and make a disruptive statement during the busy festive trading period.
On the surface, the brief wasn’t complicated. Bring a vibe. Build positive brand association. And yes, drive rate of sale, but this wasn’t the primary goal. It was more about connection and positioning in the consumer’s mind.
Our Insight:
Christmas is the busiest time of the year for the on-trade, and most brands shy away from bespoke activations in December, opting for easier, quieter windows instead.
We saw an opportunity to do the opposite.
Christmas is a season built on generosity, emotion, and shared moments. If Peroni could tap into this in a genuine way and give something back to pubs, staff, and drinkers, it had the potential to create real chemistry, build emotional connection, and create a shift in perception across the on-trade.
The Execution:
So, we started at a relationship level, working closely with Asahi’s sales team. Together, we defined a clear set of criteria to identify the right venues: footfall, year-on-year sales performance, outdoor space, strength of relationship with Asahi, and critically, which pubs had consistently supported the brand and deserved the support.
This process empowered the sales team to nominate venues across London, all serving Peroni on draught and Peroni 0.0 in bottles.
From there, we carried out site visits, mapped locations, and created clusters of pubs by area. The result was The Twelve Pubs of Christmas, a campaign delivered across 12 venues over four nights, with three pubs visited each evening. We selected the highest-footfall nights and worked closely with each pub to agree on timings and logistics.
Venues pre-promoted the activation across their social channels and in-pub, supported by Peroni social assets teasing live music, complimentary drinks, and Italian Christmas gifting.
Our Peroni-branded truck pulled up at each location, acting as a visual anchor for the experience. A roaming band disembarked, walked straight into each pub, and instantly lifted the atmosphere. And instead of a traditional Santa, Peroni introduced its own: a sharp, older Italian gentleman, handing out complimentary drink vouchers and beautifully wrapped, Italian-inspired gifts. Biscotti, candles, and panettone, all styled in Peroni’s signature colours.
Each venue hosted the experience for 90 minutes before the team moved on to the next stop.
The Results:
This was Peroni’s first on-trade activation of this scale, delivered across twelve key London pubs, and the response from the trade was overwhelmingly positive.
Pubs welcomed the idea of a brand giving something back during the season of giving. Staff felt supported and valued, and the activation brought the right kind of energy into venues, without adding friction or pressure. From a consumer perspective, Peroni delivered a genuine moment of surprise and delight, cutting through the crowded Christmas clutter.
Why It Matters:
The Twelve Pubs of Christmas helped Peroni move from being seen as just a ‘premium choice’ to a brand with real personality.
By genuinely supporting the trade, we helped Peroni strengthen emotional connections with bar staff, operators, and drinkers alike.
Rather than focusing solely on volume sales, the campaign positioned Peroni as a brand that understands on-trade culture, values relationships, and knows how to create brilliant, memorable moments.