Aperol's Italian gondola experience has made a comeback on Melbourne's Yarra River for a second year, in a partnership with activation network, Blobfish International, and media agency, Mindshare.

Blobfish partnered with Melbourne boat company On A Boat for the branded activation, wrapping 14 self-skipped boats and one skippered boat in Aperol's iconic orange livery. Customers can book one of the self-drive boats and order an Aperol Spritz and pizza package, in collaboration with local waterside restaurant DOC Pizza. The WTC Dock in Docklands, where On A Boat launches, has been decked out with Aperol-branded umbrellas and seating.

"The Aperol gondolas were such a huge success in 2023 - they went viral with locals and tourists all clambering for the unique 'Italy comes to Melbourne' experience. When Aperol approached us for a 2024 activation, we knew we had to again paint Melbourne orange for the summer," said Blobfish Senior Client Service Director, Rebecca Page.

Campari Group Marketing Director, Paolo Marinoni, echoed this sentiment.

"We were thrilled to work with Blobfish International and Mindshare once again on this unique and creative activation. With all the excitement and verve of summer in Melbourne, we were excited to bring a little taste of Italy to the city. We've loved seeing the Yarra awash with Aperol's iconic orange - it's such a great way to tap into the Melbourne summer vibes."

The Aperol campaign will run in Melbourne until the end of February. Blobfish International, established in 2015, is touted as Australia's largest activation and sampling network.

"Following the success of last year, it was a no brainer to go bigger and better in 2024. We have done just that by growing the size of the fleet and onboarding DOC as a new partner. This has allowed us to craft thousands of personalised brand experiences, complete with having pizza & spritz packages delivered straight to your boat, allowing Aperol to serve up summer and demonstrate their Italian heritage," said Mindshare Head of Partnerships, Oliver Hallstrom.