Allison Varone on Aperol growth, AI limits and brand virality

By Priya Raman

Allison Varone, Campari America’s head of marketing, says KitKat’s 2025 “KitKat Heist” turned the theft of 12 tons of KitKat bars into a global news story and engaged millions of consumers.

Marketing Brew’s Coworking series spotlights readers each week. This profile features Varone, who previously worked at LVMH.

Varone oversees brand strategy, consumer engagement, innovation and integrated campaigns across Campari America’s entire portfolio.

Her portfolio includes Aperol, Campari, spritz offerings, Wild Turkey, Espolòn Tequila, Courvoisier and Grand Marnier. Varone said: “My goal as a marketer is to understand what consumers care about, protect what makes each brand unique, and help our teams bring that to life through advertising, partnerships, experiences, and new products.”

Her primary role, she said, is to guide teams in shaping how each brand resonates with culture and drives continued growth. Ultimately, the job connects great brands with consumers in ways that feel relevant, authentic and memorable.

An aperitivo push built for New York

Varone’s favorite project was last year’s “Summer of Aperol Spritz” in New York City, a colorful experiential campaign built around the social summer aperitivo ritual.

The activation included:

• A fleet of orange Vespas and 100 Aperol-branded waiters.
• Aperol-branded uniforms with QR codes that unlocked offers, at-home cocktail recipes, nearby Aperol Spritz partner bars and digital perks such as Uber credits.
• A citywide spritz blitz across streets, parks, happy-hour spots and subway areas.

Varone said the campaign came together quickly but was logistically challenging in New York. She also recalled the team having fun running around the city and spreading joy.

She described the idea as an orange wave, reflecting the conviviality, togetherness, fun and memorable daytime occasions she associates with Aperol. Varone said the stunt amplified the brand’s joyful vision by driving buzz where real life met online culture.

Varone said Campari America launched Crodino, a non-alcoholic aperitivo, earlier this year. In September, the company introduced Sarti, a vibrant pink, tropical and fruit-forward aperitivo.

Sarti became the newest addition to the Spritz universe alongside Aperol, Crodino and Campari, Varone said. She described bringing iconic spirits and aperitivo culture, long popular in Europe, to the US as both professionally and personally rewarding. Varone also traced her affinity for Aperol to trips to Italy, before the brand became popular in the US.

KitKat’s heist became a marketing case study

Varone’s favorite advertising campaign was KitKat’s 2025 “KitKat Heist,” which won several Cannes Lions awards this year. She called the theft of 12 tons of KitKat bars a real challenge and a marketer’s nightmare.

The smart, highly shareable campaign flipped the narrative, leaned into KitKat’s hallmark wit and invited consumers into the story playfully, Varone said. It became a global news story, engaged millions of consumers and gave media a compelling narrative to follow. She said the campaign transformed a serious incident into an intriguing mystery.

Varone’s verdict was that the work was witty, culturally relevant and sparked genuine dialogue. She said it produced cultural currency, virality and affection that paid media alone cannot easily replicate.

What does this change for brand marketers?

Varone is most optimistic about the increased focus on occasions within lifestyle brands. She favors campaigns that begin with a consumer insight and show how people can interact with products authentically in real life.

She said relatable brands resonate more powerfully and emotionally when they understand not only who consumers are but how consumers want brands to appear in their lives. Social media and creators have accelerated that shift, Varone said, and she expects it to continue.

Her least optimistic category is AI-generated content without a clear strategy or authentic human perspective. Although many marketers are adapting to and embracing AI, she said, consumers still want real, genuine brand connections.

“The best marketing will use AI as a tool, not a substitute for human creativity, judgment, and connection,” Varone said.

For practitioners, Varone’s account sets a practical test: start from a real consumer occasion, give the brand a distinct role in people’s lives and retain human judgment in the creative process. AI can support that work, but her view does not allow it to replace perspective.

Outside the role, Varone said she is a proud mother of two daughters. They have finally started asking about her work and are excited about it, she added, sometimes.

She also recommended the Instagram account @PeopleBrandsandThings, calling it a fun discovery source for current news on brands, creators, culture and creativity.

As Crodino and Sarti expand the Spritz portfolio in the US, Varone’s benchmark is whether they can build consumer relevance while preserving the convivial, memorable occasions she associates with Aperol.