Lavazza Launches Campaign Starring Martin Scorsese

Lavazza has announced the launch of ‘Family Blend’ – a five-part mini series directed by Francesca Scorsese and starring Martin Scorsese – as part of a wider marketing push through its ‘Pleasure Makes us Human’ platform. 

Each episode will air monthly on the brand’s global platforms, and has been created to promote Lavazza’s approach to creating a unique coffee blend through the lens of blending the differing perspectives of Martin Scorsese and his daughter Francesca. 

“The 'Family Blend' series shows how coffee acts as a universal bridge, bringing together different stories and creative visions,” says Carlo Colpo, Chief Marketing Officer of the Lavazza Group.

“With this project, we are thrilled to portray coffee as a cultural gesture that spans generations and languages, serving as a meeting point for creativity and identity. The collaboration with Martin and Francesca Scorsese brings to life a unique dialogue that blends the depth of cinematic language with modern digital formats. 

“Through this mini-series, we strengthen our brand’s global relevance while continuing to explore creative territories that engage and inspire new generations.”

An evolving marketing footprint

Lavazza has been expanding its global marketing footprint as of late, through partnerships and sponsorships with Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, the Tribeca Film Festival and the Italian Open. 

This follows the launch of its ‘Pleasure Makes us Human’ global campaign, which is centred around the core idea that experiencing and sharing pleasure – such as the pleasure of drinking coffee – is what defines the human experience. In ‘Family Blend’, this messaging is shown through the idea that coffee can connect different stories and spark creativity. 

The brand first launched this messaging in a campaign starring Steve Carell, John Krasinski and Luigi, a sentient robot. Similarly to ‘Family Blend’, the campaign was launched as a series of episodes, with the two actors interacting and joking with the robot. 

“Lavazza communicates a new strategic message that confirms its evolution into a genuinely global brand, but with strong Italian roots: the 'Pleasure Makes Us Human' campaign is another step forward in the evolution of our brand as part of an internationalisation process that we embarked on some time ago,” Carlo notes.

The rise of the micro-drama

Many brands are beginning to include mini series and micro-dramas in their wider marketing strategy. In fact, revenues from micro dramas are set to reach US$14bn by the end of 2026, according to research from intelligence firm Omdia. 

This is being seen across brands and industries– with P&G releasing a vertical micro-drama made up of 55 episodes called ‘The Golden Pear Affair’ to promote new product lines. 

But why is episodic content becoming so popular in marketing? 

According to Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia, the format marks a shift in audience behaviour. 

“Microdramas are redefining what premium storytelling means in the digital era,” she says. “They combine the immediacy of social media with the emotional depth of television drama. They are short, accessible and increasingly popular among mobile audiences.”

In 2025, 83% of total revenues seen from micro-dramas came from China, with adoption growing in the US, Japan, South Korea, the UK and Thailand. 

“The rise of microdramas illustrates how new storytelling models and distribution platforms continue to reshape global viewing behaviour,” Maria explains.

“This marks the next phase of evolution in digital content.”