When Aperol Spritz Dominated Summer Out of Home Advertising

The Summer Atmosphere Aperol Owns

Every summer has a brand that feels unavoidable. For several recent seasons, that brand has been Aperol Spritz. Not through official event sponsorships or headline grabbing takeovers, but through something arguably more effective. Consistent, confident out of home advertising that aligns perfectly with how and where people move during summer.

During key cultural moments such as Wimbledon fortnight, Aperol Spritz has repeatedly shown how timing, location and tone can turn a seasonal campaign into a city-wide presence. The result has been a summer out of home strategy that feels woven into the experience of travelling, socialising and celebrating warm weather rather than imposed on it.

Using Wimbledon as a Seasonal Signal

While Aperol Spritz has never been an official Wimbledon sponsor, it has used the Championships as a powerful seasonal signal within its wider summer campaigns. During past Wimbledon periods, Aperol ran outdoor advertising timed precisely with the tournament, focusing on areas where tennis audiences, commuters and tourists naturally converged.

Premium poster sites appeared in central Wimbledon and nearby high footfall locations during late June and early July, capturing the heightened atmosphere around the event. At the same time, digital escalator panels across the London Underground and billboards at major transport hubs such as Waterloo and Wimbledon stations extended the campaign far beyond SW London.

This approach allowed Aperol to benefit from Wimbledon’s cultural pull without relying on official branding. The ads simply existed where summer energy was already high, reinforcing Aperol Spritz as part of the season rather than a guest within it.

Transport Media as the Backbone of Visibility

Transport advertising played a central role in Aperol’s summer dominance. Underground escalator panels and station-based billboards offered repeated exposure to commuters travelling into central London, while rail hubs like Waterloo ensured visibility among both daily workers and leisure travellers heading out for evenings, weekends and events.

These placements worked because of their rhythm. Escalators, platforms and concourses create natural dwell time, allowing bold Aperol visuals to sit with audiences for longer than a roadside glance. Over the course of a week, the same commuter could see the campaign multiple times across different journeys, embedding the brand into their summer routine.

From an out of home perspective, this is where Aperol’s strategy stands out. It prioritised frequency and familiarity over one off spectacle.

Bringing the Social Side of Summer to Life

Beyond traditional out of home formats, Aperol extended its presence through experiential activations that echoed the social spirit of Wimbledon season. One example saw an Aperol Spritz Social bar pop up in Manchester during Wimbledon fortnight, offering tennis screenings, drinks, music and leisure activities.

While outside the official competition grounds and in a different city, the activation captured the same cultural moment. It allowed the brand to translate its out of home visibility into a physical social experience, reinforcing Aperol Spritz as a drink associated with shared summer moments rather than elite exclusivity.

This blend of advertising and experience helped turn awareness into association, anchoring the brand firmly in how people spent their summer time.

A Global Campaign with Local Impact

In 2025, Aperol’s global summer campaign continued this approach at scale. Rather than building a campaign specifically around Wimbledon, the brand launched a broader summer message that naturally overlapped with the tournament period. Out of home advertising formed a key part of this activity, running across cities during the months when audiences are most receptive to seasonal cues.

This strategy avoided short term event dependency. Wimbledon became one of several cultural moments that amplified the campaign, rather than the sole focus. The result was sustained visibility throughout summer rather than a brief spike.

Why This Still Matters for Out of Home

Aperol Spritz’s summer dominance is a strong reminder that the most effective out of home campaigns are often the simplest. Clear creative, smart placement, and precise timing can outperform louder but less integrated activations.

By aligning transport media, premium outdoor sites and experiential moments with the natural flow of summer life, Aperol embedded itself into the season without needing official sponsorships or overstatement.

For brands planning their own summer out of home strategies, Aperol’s approach shows how owning the mood of a season can be more powerful than owning a logo on an event.