It is precisely for this reason that for over fifty years BRITA has been engaged in the treatment of drinking-water at a professional and domestic level. Adapting wisely to the changing needs and trends of consumers, the company has decided to champion an extremely important message that should not be underestimated: to make the most of its value, quality coffee demands equally quality water.
Lately BRITA has given life to a surprising communication plan on social networks called "La Ricetta di BRITA", a photo story made up of nine episodes. Leading the objective is Gian Zaniol, the 2017 Italian Brewers Cup champion who has been a BRITA Ambassador for some time.
Creative partner to the project is Romedia Studio, headed by Federico Pezzetta, who is also known for his coffee blogging and as a professional photographer of the Italian coffee scene.
We recently spoke to these two figures and asked them to tell us a little about themselves, and about BRITA and their social project, starting with Zaniol:
Hi Gian, tell us a little about yourself: how and when did you start your coffee journey?
I have been working in the restaurant business for 26 years, and in one way or another I have always been involved with coffee, but let's say that it was more its social function across Italy that brought me closer to it rather than the drink itself. The real change came eight years ago when I moved to Berlin and entered my first specialty coffee shop; a whole world opened up. It was a great coincidence, to be honest. I was looking for a job after my arrival in Berlin and my partner thought that a coffee shop could be the right environment for me and so I started almost as a joke.
The discovery of this very different way of enjoying something that should have been familiar to me left me speechless. I have been at Chapter One in Kreuzberg since 2015, and these have been years of real training and the discovery of filter coffee. Here I learned that every time we learn a new idea we understand that we have 1000 more to study and this infinite process of investigation has definitely convinced me that this is my future.
You’re also currently an ambassador for BRITA. What does that role mean to you?
I have had the good fortune to collaborate with BRITA for some time, both in Italy and in Germany. We were very close in the preparation of my Brewers Cup Championship in 2017, and there we have laid the foundations for a future collaboration that began to materialize at the end of 2018. Being a brand ambassador for BRITA seemed like a logical step in my studies. Water is fundamental to our work, and I was given the opportunity to study the subject further and to be able to spread what I learned thanks to their support. It is a company that is not only always attentive to quality, but also has an eye for environmental issues.
Photos by Romedia Studios
Tell us a little about the "La Ricetta di BRITA" project. What is it exactly?
"La Ricetta di BRITA" tells the story about the importance of water in coffee making. We decided to create a story that would bring a simple and clear message, one which could be summarized with BRITA’s motto "Think Your Water". Nothing should be left to chance. The story is about my journey with BRITA in search of perfect extraction. The idea was shared between both my experience as a barista and that of experts from Romedia Studio, in particular Federico Pezzetta who, besides being a professional photographer, is also a specialty coffee lover. The result was this beautiful project that sees me as the protagonist and ambassador of quality water.
Now lets meet Romedia Studio’s Federico Pezzetta, a.k.a Coffee and Lucas:
Welcome Federico, can you explain how the meeting between Romedia Studio and coffee came about?
Romedia Studio has been involved in photography, filmmaking and communication for almost ten years. Over five years ago, we started to get interested in coffee, though it’s a drink we have always loved. Deepening our knowledge, we realized that there were different aspects related to the new trends in coffee consumption on which it was possible to do a fresh and innovative media project. In 2016 we shot "Coffees - Italians do it better (?)", the first Italian documentary on specialty coffee, alternative methods of coffee extraction and the arrival of Starbucks in Italy. The documentary came out in mid-2017, receiving over 70,000 views on Facebook, and has been shown in London, Berlin, Ghent, Amsterdam, Auckland, and in October of this year will be shown in Barcelona!
After the making of this documentary we produced and realized several projects like the instant video #weallmakecoffee (shot during the 2017 London Coffee Festival) and have carried out social communication on coffee through the page, Coffee and Lucas, through which I have always tried to talk about coffee in a simple accessible, fun way, avoiding the clichés.
What do you think of “La Ricetta di Brita”?
It was a stimulating and creative project. It wasn’t the case of making a mere promotional message but of making culture about coffee (and water) in a modern way using the language of photography and social media.
The message of this campaign can then be understood and appreciated both by professionals linked to the specialty coffee community and by a wider audience, because the story we tell in the shots where Gian is the protagonist conveys a universal message that can be appreciated by anyone.
How important is a project like this for the dissemination of a product like quality water?
Communication for the disclosure of any product is essential, especially so for quality water. With BRITA we have found a harmony for over 2 years following a path that combines photographic message and socials simultaneously. The ideal formula, to reach the general public, is always to find the right balance between information and entertainment. “La Ricetta di BRITA” is a fitting example of this balance that then goes on to actively reach the goal set when the user, perhaps at an event such as the Milan Coffee Festival, has the chance to try the same coffee with two waters.
BRITA, advocate of many national and international events will be joining us again at the The Brew Bar at The Milan Coffee Festival from 30 November - 02 December 2019!