Articles >> Coffee machines make way for majesty in Lavazza's 2008 calendarCoffee machines make way for majesty in Lavazza's 2008 calendar
Coffee company Lavazza has launched its sixteenth promotional calendar in the sumptuous settings of the Palace of Versailles near Paris, France. And the calendar's majestic artwork - like the 17th-century bling of Louis XIV's overwhelming country pile - demonstrates just why there is more to Italian caffè culture than steaming milk and coffee machines .
Like Pirelli, the tyre makers, Lavazza produces a calendar each year to reinforce its position as the pre-eminent brand in its market. And, like Pirelli, it has built a reputation for something more upmarket than the "page three girls for mechanics" staple that hangs on many workshop walls - and coffee machines - around the world.
Majestic queens for coffee machines
For 2008, Lavazza commissioned Scottish photographer Finlay McKay to shoot six art nouveau tableaux featuring models dressed as majestic queens - from the middle ages to 19th-century China and all dressed by Vivienne Westwood - savouring a Lavazza espresso.
The resulting calendar, according to the Turin-based company, is "probably the richest in allusions" so far. It "represents the exaltation of woman and her femininity, viewed here as beguiling muse, priestess and goddess, ever the sovereign queen of an exclusive and refined world ripe with a promise: everyone can afford a majestic coffee break, a moment of authentic luxury and sophistication, an extraordinary sensory experience."
Visual arts and design website paintalicious.com calls it "the most lavish and glamorous I've seen to date. [McKay's] art nouveau-inspired imagery gives us plenty of insights into the dreamlike worlds of the French and Chinese imperial courts, chivalry of the Middle Ages and bejeweled queens enjoying a most majestic Lavazza espresso experience."
Coffee calendar not for sale
Viewers agree - comments on paintalicious.com call the calendar "beautiful", and praise McKay's "complete mastery" of his images. One viewer simply says "I want one!"
The Lavazza calendar is not for sale, however - and its circulation is strictly limited. Trade publication Boughton's coffee House said, "There is a certain cachet to having one on your wall, because the distribution is deliberately ‘exclusive'". Talkingretail.com said, "Only a limited number of calendars are produced each year and are sent to a carefully controlled list of loyalty recipients across Europe."
The publication of such a lavish calendar for limited high-end niche promotion might seem curious - especially to someone who thinks coffee is made with kettles rather than coffee machines. Launching it in the grand palace of the French monarchy's greatest indulgencies could equally seem a little over-the-top.
The value of coffee machine cool
But the glamour and theatre - not to mention money - that Lavazza invests in its calendar emphasises the value of being Italy's number one coffee brand.
The American teenager might have made coffee bars cool throughout the world - but they stole the concept from the Italy of Federico Fellini and Marcello Mastroianni, with its chrome coffee machines and Persol sunglasses. Keeping that premium brand association going is worth a lot of money to Lavazza.
Today, the daily espresso is taken with more ritual than some religious ceremonies, and the crema - the cream-like froth encapsulating the heart of the coffee bean's distillation - is venerated like a holy relic.
A South African business news website said, "The Lavazza calendar is a flamboyant interpretation of an iconic lifestyle — that of drinking coffee. Like the Pirelli calendar, the Lavazza calendar is a business communication tool that, over the past decades, has traced the evolution of photography while cultivating a cult following and has, at the same time, kept the brand top of mind."
Lavazza and coffee machines from CoffeeXclusive
David Rogers, sales and marketing director of Lavazza, said, "Each year, the calendar's creative content forms the basis of our advertising and PR campaign, helping to deliver a significant uplift in sales. With these new images effectively communicating Lavazza's credentials as a fashionable, premium brand, I'm certain this year will be as successful as previous years."
CoffeeXclusive supplies a wide range of top-quality coffee machines for use in the home, the office, or for commercial purposes. We also provide coffee beans, pods and capsules along with all the accessories you need. To find out more, or to order online, just browse our website. We're always happy to answer any questions you might have - just fill in our online enquiry form on the Contact Us page.
| 
