This from San Pellegrino is one of the best things we’ve seen all year.

By James Herring on Thursday, November 20, 2025

San Pellegrino U.S leans into ‘Italian time’ and it’s one of the best ads I’ve seen all year.

The sparkling water brand has dropped a wry and wonderful skit, casting actors Stanley Tucci and Diane Morgan in a laid-back mock-interview that celebrates the joy of doing things the Italian way – slowly, and with sparkle.

The spot, created for social, features Tucci – “the most famous Italian in Peekskill, New York” – being grilled by Morgan on all things Italian, from clocks and panettone to pronunciation and his favourite pasta shapes.

Elsewhere, she confesses to having 15 boxes of panettone in her back bedroom, and when Tucci suggests she donate them, she considers using them as loft insulation instead.

It’s a low-fi, high-charm format that makes brilliant use of both personalities. Morgan’s irreverence plays perfectly against Tucci’s suave persona, delivering laughs without overshadowing the brand.

San Pellegrino keeps the branding light – a glass shared mid-chat, a clink of bottles, and Tucci’s reluctant sip (“My first liquid”) – letting humour and chemistry do the work.

For marketers, it’s a masterclass in tonal confidence. Buonissimo.

Another from the series…