Jonathan Bailey is the new MARTINI Man, but the real story is taking a bet on the $402M spritz category growing every year. Here’s what MARTINI is actually betting on.
The spritz was not supposed to become an American habit.
It is an afternoon ritual built around bitter liqueur, fizz, and the specific patience of someone who has nowhere else to be. Americans, historically, have had somewhere else to be. Then, five years ago Covid happened and Americans got less busy.
The U.S. spritz category is now worth $402 million, according to IWSR data, and has grown at 17% compound annual growth rate over the last five years. That is not a trend. That is a structural shift in how a significant portion of the American drinking public has decided to spend its late afternoons. MARTINI has noticed. Their response is Jonathan Bailey, a 1970s racing car, and a short film shot on the Venetian coast that is considerably more interesting than it has any obligation to be.
Why MARTINI Is Betting on a Category, Not Just a Celebrity
MARTINI is launching the MARTINI Spritz Collection, led by the MARTINI Bianco Spritz, into a market where most consumers can name the drink but couldn’t tell you how to make one without a bartender present.
The recipe is:
- three parts MARTINI Prosecco
- Two parts MARTINI Bianco
- One part soda
stirred over ice and finished with lemon, mint, and strawberry.
The Bianco brings a botanical sweetness somewhere between elderflower and vanilla, softened by the prosecco’s acidity and opened up by the soda into something genuinely lighter than it reads on paper.
It is, by design, approachable. The choice of Bailey to front this is not accidental.
Bailey is not a spirits industry figure. He is one of the most culturally present actors working right now, with a fanbase that is engaged, style-conscious, and thirsty.
The right opportunity to make aperitivo hour feel like something you discovered, rather than something being sold to you.
The Sprezzatura Strategy
Sprezzatura, the Italian principle of studied effortlessness, making the difficult appear unconsidered.
In the short film, Bailey arrives at the Venetian coast in an original 1970s MARTINI Racing car and is guided through a series of aperitivo rituals by an enigmatic Maestro. The scenes are deliberately playful: mastering an entrance, refining a look drawn from MARTINI’s archival artwork, holding eye contact with a camera long enough to communicate something.
The final scene resolves on a MARTINI Bianco Spritz, condensation forming on the glass in the afternoon light, garnished with the kind of casual precision that suggests someone has done this many times without ever having to think about it. It is well-executed brand filmmaking that understands its own assignment.
Bailey’s quote is characteristically direct:
“Stepping into the iconic role of The MARTINI Man is an honor…”
“…It’s incredibly exciting to me because it’s about stepping outside of your comfort zone, finding confidence in yourself and living joyfully. It’s about bringing that exhilarating spark of Italian style to everyday moments. I’m excited to be part of a campaign and a legacy that invites people to explore all of that.”
Italy as Aspiration, the Spritz as Entry Point
Italy is currently ranked the number one global travel destination by U.S. tour operators, with demand accelerating. MARTINI is positioning the Bianco Spritz as the domestic translation of that aspiration: you do not need to be in Venice to pour like you are.
The Bianco Spritz served well: cold glass, generous ice, lemon peel expressed over the surface, carries enough of the aperitivo ritual to make a back porch in Atlanta or a rooftop in Chicago feel like something more considered than a Thursday.
The question is whether MARTINI can convert it into a repeatable purchase behavior.
Emma Fox, Global Vice President of MARTINI, put it plainly: “Jonathan Bailey brings exactly the right energy to The MARTINI Man: stylish, self-assured, playful and effortlessly magnetic. He has a natural ability to make every moment feel both aspirational and accessible, which makes him the perfect partner for MARTINI.”
Mini FAQ
What is a MARTINI Bianco Spritz and how do you make it?
The MARTINI Bianco Spritz is the lead serve in MARTINI’s new Spritz Collection. It’s made with three parts MARTINI Prosecco, two parts MARTINI Bianco, and one part soda water, stirred gently over ice and garnished with lemon, mint, and strawberry. It’s designed to be simple enough to make at home without any bartending experience.
Why is Jonathan Bailey the new MARTINI Man?
Bailey was announced as MARTINI’s brand partner in June 2026 as part of a multi-year campaign. He joins a lineage of actors who have represented the brand globally, and was chosen for what MARTINI describes as his ability to make aspirational moments feel accessible — a key brief for a brand trying to grow the U.S. aperitivo category.
How big is the spritz market in the United States?
According to IWSR data cited in MARTINI’s campaign materials, the U.S. spritz category is currently valued at $402 million and has grown at a 17% compound annual growth rate over the past five years — making it one of the faster-growing segments in American spirits and wine.
Serve it cold, properly garnished, before dinner
The MARTINI Bianco Spritz is a well-constructed entry point into a category that has earned its growth. Make it cold, make it properly garnished, and serve it before dinner rather than with it — that is the aperitivo rule that most Americans skip and the one that changes the experience most. If you are building the habit, start there. The $402 million already in the category suggests you will not be alone.
