Zebra-Striping Between Categories to Elevate Occasions with Filiberto Amati | 104

Summary

Filiberto Amati, Founder of ‪AmatiAssociates‬ and Head of Partnerships at MAFFEO DRINKS, is a veteran of major spirits companies, including Campari and Di Saronno. He dissects the post-COVID reality facing the spirits industry, revealing how the pandemic created a temporary "shock" that artificially inflated off-trade volumes while disrupting traditional brand-building pathways. Drawing from his deep beverage industry expertise, Filiberto explains how consumption patterns are realigning to pre-pandemic trends—exposing brands that gained artificial traction during lockdowns without building genuine on-trade education or loyalty. The conversation explores how consumers increasingly practice "zebra-striping"—switching between categories within the same occasion—why cultural movements drive successful brand rituals from Aperol's orange visual cue to Corona's lime mythology, and how route-to-market consolidation is reshaping competitive dynamics across the fragmented spirits landscape. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and COVID Impact Context 03:45 Post-Pandemic Volume Normalization 09:20 On-Trade Education Crisis Analysis 16:15 Off-Trade vs On-Trade Dynamics 23:30 Category Blurification and Zebra Striping Occasions 28:45 Route-to-Market Consolidation Trends