City Grill Group featured in the global top of digital creativity with "Șpriț de vară," a campaign created for Hanu’ lui Manuc

The City Grill restaurant group, one of the most prominent local players in the HoReCa industry, has been included in the prestigious "200 Best Digital Artists 2025" ranking by Lürzer’s Archive, one of the most acclaimed international publications in the creative industry. The award-winning campaign – Șpriț de vară (Summer Spritz) – was developed for Hanu’ lui Manuc in collaboration with the Homemade agency and artist and photographer Mihai Vladimir Anton (Mișa).

Lürzer’s Archive is one of the most respected global publications dedicated to creativity in advertising. Its selections – made by an international jury – focus not only on fresh ideas but also on the mastery of execution and attention to detail. The annual "200 Best Digital Artists" ranking brings together artists who redefine the standards of digital visuals.

Targeting an audience aged 25 to 35, the campaign aimed to bring together different types of Hanu’ lui Manuc customers, blending relaxation, history, and fair prices into a single picture – all in a visual style that breaks away from traditional HoReCa communication patterns.

The campaign stemmed from a simple yet resonant insight: in the summer, you can enjoy a spritz with friends at a restaurant steeped in tradition and authentic atmosphere. Hanu’ lui Manuc remains an accessible, welcoming place with a history that reinvents itself for each generation.

“This distinction serves as significant validation for the direction we are heading in: creative communication rooted in local identity and meaning. This campaign was about people, about timeless places, and about how we can highlight them without clichés. We’re thrilled to be included in a benchmark ranking like Lürzer’s. For 2025, City Grill Group aims to continue investing in creativity and relevant content tailored to each brand in our portfolio. Communication is no longer just about menus or decor – it’s about belonging, authenticity, and emotion. The brands that manage to forge real connections with their audience are the ones that will stay at the top of preferences," said Ramona Popescu, Head of Marketing, City Grill Group.

"We wanted to capture the authentic vibe of Hanu’ without framing it in nostalgic clichés. We used an old photograph as a bridge between past and present, but everything was crafted with the younger generation in mind – a group that values authentic experiences but consumes them visually, in contemporary formats," said Claudiu Leonte, Creative Director & Partner at Homemade.

"The biggest challenge was to visually 'connect' the historical past with the present and convey the traditional atmosphere in a modern way. I tried to use colours that make Hanu’s style instantly recognizable. The entire process required maximum focus because any small oversight could have derailed the concept," added