The worlds of coffee and lifestyle are closer than ever, thanks to a series of important recent brand partnerships. Lavazza and Marzocco reveal why these strategic collaborations are an essential marketing tool.
What is coffee and Are sports cars in common? Despite an industry serving more than a billion eight billion people on the planet and the other in one percent higher, the teams to Lavazza And The Marzocco Believe that there is more common ground than you think.
In the past year, the two eminent Italian coffee brands have joined well -known sports car manufacturers. In June 2024, Lavazza signed an exclusive agreement with Lamborghini, while in October of the same year, the Marzocco announced a partnership with Porsche Design, which saw the release of two exclusive Porsche X la Marzocco Micra Espresso and a Pico Pico La Marzocco corresponding Marzocco machine.
For Carlo Colpo, director of marketing communication and director of the house of the Lavazza Group brand, the luxury sports car brand was a natural companion for coffee roasting.
“Automobili Lamborghini is an emblematic brand that shares with us the same values of Italian heritage and excellence,” he says.
“Lifestyle brand partnerships are essential for Lavazza because they amplify our global visibility and connected us to a various audience. These collaborations allow us to strengthen our presence on strategic markets while presenting our fundamental values. ”
However, this trend goes beyond the cars, Lavazza choosing to associate with companies outside the circle of other longtime Italian brands. Brand partnerships have long been a chain for its arc marketing, with sport – in particular tennis – a particular objective.
“We consider sport as an ideal platform to transmit our passion for excellence: the combination of tennis and coffee is indeed a perfect mixture, which allows us to disseminate our culture, characterized by sociability, fair play, capacities focused on service and impeccable quality,” explains Colpo.
Since 2011, Lavazza has teamed up with a series of tennis competitions, including Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, US Open, ATP Finals, Shanghai Masters and Madrid Open.
“Tournaments offer more than a simple exhibition to the brand: these are the experiential engines,” he says. “We attach particular importance to create immersive experiences that engage visitors from the tournament in activities that go beyond the simple consumption of coffee and can transmit the history of our brand and disseminate the real culture of Italian coffee in the world.”
The work of roasting with sporting events and car manufacturers, among other partnerships, including fashion brands and television programs, illustrate the passage of coffee from the basic grocery article to lifestyle. Colpo says that Lavazza aligns with partners who share its essence of “a premium brand with a touch of modernity and positivity”.
“Coffee has transcended its role as a simple drink to become a central element of daily rituals and social experiences,” he said. “This development highlights the place of Coffee to promote conviviality and connection, positioning it as a lifestyle product. Lavazza embraces this vision by integrating coffee into wider cultural and lifestyle contexts. ”
Although the ultimate objective of Lavazza collaborations is to present its fundamental values and to introduce more consumers to its products – a market with which it has long interacted – for the Marzocco equipment manufacturer, its recent life style partnerships are part of a new desire to connect directly with consumers.
“We only recently entered the general public space, so our trip is very different from Lavazza,” explains Chris Salierno, director of marketing at Marzocco.
“For us, the opportunity lies in the expansion of our audience, from the Coffee Community to a wider group of people who may not know us because we are a specialized brand. These partnerships offer a chance of visibility and get involved with new audiences. ”
Choosing the right partner for your brand is the key. The Marzocco only works with companies that share its values and work philosophies, and Salierno says that its partnerships to date, like that with Porsche, have all been “very organic”.
“For the Porsche project, our chief designer Stefano Della Pietra sat with the Porsche design team to create the two special edition espito machines and a crusher,” explains Salierno.
“We were inspired by some of the emblematic cars of Porsche, in particular the Martini racing car which won the Targa Florio race in 1973. It provided an excellent story to also be able to link to another classic Italian brand.”
In addition to these mutually beneficial collaborations with other well -known companies, the machine manufacturer also works with small -scale craftsmen to create an organized collection of Marzocco lifestyle products, which includes roller boards, surfing plates and clothing.
“Culturally, we connect with the Coffee Community and which often rides other craftsmen in lifestyle communities,” explains Paul Kelly, director of sales of Marzocco for Europe, Africa and India.
“When we look at what we do, it is good to be able to extend this to other industries and to see that they have the same DNA as we. Thanks to these organic collaborations, we are able to connect with a wider range of creative communities.”
Coffee has long shared links with other subcultures such as cycling and skating. Kelly and Salierno say that lifestyle products The Marzocco celebrate these established connections and the crafts of individuals in the industries.
“It is not a financial engine. We do not manufacture surfing boards or industrial rollers; They are made by another craftsman like us who is a master of their profession, ”explains Salierno.
“Since we launched the native entity of the Marzocco, we have really known our audience. People who have an emotional link with our brand love outdoor sports and travel, they appreciate artistic quality and talent, and who are interested in fashion and fashion trends. Therefore, we meet these needs by providing this selection of things that are not coffee machines, but which reflect the lifestyle.
He also underlines that as a marketing specialist, these organic multisgments are a more pleasant experience.
“It creates content much more interesting than just talking about a product – for you and your audience,” he said.
“The Marzocco has always been disrupted. We started on the sidelines of a very formal industry and we really pushed this idea of creating a subculture and an environment that supported the baristas. Disruptors have now become culturally important in terms of marketing styles, and I think that is why brands like Porsche have been interested in working with us. ”
Marzocco and Lavazza think that partnerships will continue to play a key role in their marketing strategies in the coming years.
“The best partnerships are not forced: they are motivated by the common vision, the common values and the common ground,” explains Salierno.
“If they are not sincere, your audience will see it. It is very important to keep the authenticity of the relationship. It is a bit like going out together: it is a process to know each other and determine if it will work in the long term.”
This article was published for the first time in the March / April 2025 edition of Global Coffee Report. Learn more HERE.