People – September 02, 2021

Brad Pitt Named De’Longhi’s New Global Ambassador—Get a Behind-the-Scenes Look at His First Commercial

“To me coffee is not just a drink. It creates connections, it allows you to carve a moment for yourself; to pause and enjoy the moment,” the Oscar winner shares with PEOPLE.

By Vanessa Etienne
September 02, 2021

The 57-year-old Oscar-winning actor is teaming up with De’Longhi, known for its luxury coffee and espresso machines, for the company’s first international “Perfetto” campaign—and PEOPLE has an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of the filming and making of the commercial.

In the new cinematic ad, viewers get a look at a “day-in-the-life” of the star, who picks up coffee beans, rides his motorcycle along the California, and makes a trip to the gas station before returning home to relax with a cup of his home-brewed cappuccino.

“I wanted to work with De’Longhi because I appreciated their approach for the campaign—they have confidence in their product and want to celebrate the artistry of their Italian heritage without overdoing it,” Pitt shared with PEOPLE of becoming a brand ambassador. “[Director] Damien Chazelle’s concept resulted in a beautiful product—just like their coffee machines, creating an indirect nod to the elegance, design and harmony that the brand naturally embodies.”

“De’Longhi’s attention to detail makes me appreciate the brand even more. That sort of thoughtfulness is a distinctive value of Italian design—how you design something for the people who are going to experience it: certain details that might not be immediately obvious, but in the end have a profound effect on you and your life,” said Pitt, a design and architecture buff.

Along with Pitt and Chazelle, the campaign (which launches Sept. 2) also features the work of cinematographer Linus Sandgren and composer Justin Hurwitz, who both worked on the 2016 musical romance La La Land.

Partnering with De’Longhi, which is based in Treviso, Italy, Pitt says he’s now considering making an experience out of his daily coffee, ditching his normal routine of drinking his cup quickly and on-the-go.

“The European, specifically Italian idea about creating a sort of ceremony associated with coffee—I like that idea… of sitting down on my couch and really enjoying my cup of coffee,” the actor explains.

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“To me coffee is not just a drink. It creates connections, it allows you to carve a moment for yourself; to pause and enjoy the moment,” says Pitt. “I find this ability to stop, appreciate the moment and life in general—to be typically European and to me—truly inspiring.”