In Italy: Cans of “100% authentic” air sold in Lake Como

On the shores of Lake Como, a company offers an unusual vacation souvenir: cans of air from the region. A memory that has its price. At 9 euros 90 for 400 ml of “100% authentic” air.

Davide Abagnale, marketing expert, markets this product. After a first attempt at selling posters, he finally opted for canned air conditioning. As a spokesperson for communications company ItalyComunica explained to CNNit is a souvenir “easy to carry in a suitcase”, “original, funny, even somewhat provocative”.

A true tourist attraction, Lake Como, which welcomed 5.6 million visitors in 2023, is a glamorous destination. And for good reason, it notably served as a filming location for “Casino Royale”. George and Amal Clooney own property on its banks.

This idea is far from unanimous. “It’s not the souvenir I would choose first,” Alessandro Rapinese, who views cans of fresh air rather critically, told the news site. The mayor of Como prefers to highlight more classic souvenirs, such as the traditional silk scarves that have made the region famous.

“But as mayor of one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, I must admit that if someone wants to bring a little of our air home, I have nothing against it, as long as they take also beautiful memories of our region,” he said.

The idea is not new. In Naples, for example, bottled air has been sold since the end of World War II. In recent years, Iceland has also started marketing cans of air. In 2015, Canada’s fresh air conditioning was a big success with smog-stricken Chinese. At the time, a 7.7 liter can, which allowed more than 150 inhalations, cost 33 Canadian dollars (around 20 euros).

For Davide Abagnale and ItalyComunica, the new souvenir is “more than a product: it is a memory that we carry in our heart”. And even if the air of Como does not remain as fresh as we remember, the can at least has the advantage of being able to serve as a pencil holder.

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