Media

With over 18,000 visitors, the format of the Focus Festival of Knowledge, held for the sixth consecutive year in collaboration with the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, is confirmed to be a winner. For three days, this major event attracted an active and interested public audience, who had the opportunity to engage with the scientific world and experience the most innovative technological advances, meet and listen to communicators, experts and professionals in information, medicine, science and sports, as well as immerse themselves in worlds of virtual reality.

“We have once again travelled from the stars to the deep sea, from space missions to genetics, from plants to robots, from animal noises to artificial intelligence, giving this edition of Focus Live — entitled Visions — a fun overview of science and knowledge, research and history.  And we got to experience it hands-on by offering immersive virtual reality experiences, samples of the metaverse, and workshops for adults and children. We also mixed genres by combining science, music and theatre. But the most spectacular “vision” was the record turnout and participation of thousands of curious, attentive and enthusiastic people. They are the best reward for our efforts and encourage us to always do better,” said Raffaele Leone, director of Focus.

The more than 70 sold-out events featured eighty personalities, including scientists, researchers, astronauts and communicators, along with active participation in games, workshops, edutainment, interactive experiences and meetings in the Experience Area. There was clear awe and interest in the more than 40 installations, starting with the giant and colourful animals of Cracking Art. Lots of children flocked to the kids area for the Geronimo Stilton show and all the playful and scientific activities organised by Focus Junior, Focus Pico and Focus Wild, in collaboration with Mondadori Education, Way Experience, Shake and UniversiKid.

Providing an exceptional backdrop, the National Museum of Science and Technology was divided for this special initiative into five major thematic areas (Technology, Sustainability, Science, Space, Medicine and Health) with three separate stages — the Main Stage, Speakers’ corner and Creators’ corner — for talks and meetings.

Tons of content contributed to the success of Focus Live Visions: from the surprises of the Animaloids — robotic quadrupeds such as HyQ Real1, capable of challenging humans (and win!) at Twister — to quizzes animated by Stefano Bartezzaghi; from the physics experiments of Vincenzo Schettini, the star professor of TikTok, to the lunar earthworms of the future, to the sustainable comics of activist Altares; from the Telegatto delivered to Carlo Conti to the experiences of sportsmen such as freediving champion Mike Maric. Plus sailing icon Giovanni Soldini as a hologram, former soccer coach Arrigo Sacchi, astronaut Roberto Vittori, communicator Barbara Gallavotti and philosopher Luciano Floridi, immunologist and scientific director of Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Alberto Mantovani, and Stefano Mancuso, Italy’s most influential botanist, together with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Milan guided the audience in discovering the intelligence of plants. Evolutionary scientist and communicator Telmo Pievani and actor Marco Paolini closed the packed three-day schedule with a science show dedicated to Charles Darwin, one of the most visionary scientists in history.

Also confirming the brand’s strength and formula for success were the hundreds of thousands of views and social media interactions related to live broadcasts, with posts and videos shared on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter. All the content was widely captured by the print, digital radio and TV media, and will remain available on Focus.it, the website of the monthly magazine Focus, which has seen peak views these days due to Focus Live events. The content will be enriched with extra contributions to continue to intrigue and win over fans, both young and old.

This edition of Focus Live was developed through the support and collaboration of the Civic Aquarium of Milan, Italian Air Force, Asi, Biokip Labs, CNR, Enea, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Giotto (Fila), IIT, Il Piccolo Teatro, INFN, Joint Research Centre, Italian Navy, Milan Civic Museum of Natural History, Milan Symphony Orchestra, Shake srl, Milan Civic Planetarium, Polytechnic University of Milan, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, University of Padua and Way Experience.

Focus Live is a Mondadori Media event organised in partnership with the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology, Mediamond and numerous other entities:

MAIN PARTNERS: Koelliker Group
PARTNERS: Carglass, Honor, Humanitas University
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER: European Commission
CONTENT PARTNERS: AIRC, CDI, Mondadori Education, Opera San Francesco, Rilegno, TUV SUD
ART GUEST: Cracking Art
TECHNICAL PARTNER: Lete
OFFICIAL RADIO: R101
KIDS AREA powered by Focus Junior

There’s no such thing as a single Generation Z. From a survey conducted by Webboh Lab, the first permanent digital observatory completely dedicated to Gen Z and created by Webboh and the Istituto di Ricerca Sylla, on 24,000 12- to 20-year-olds studied for 48 hours, it turns out that Gen Z is not a monolith, but is composed of 5 clusters of young people who experience and perceive interaction with social media in different ways: Meme Maestro (40%), Creative Explorer (18%), Like Lover (17%), Social Soul (14%), and Digital Dreamer (11%).

More specifically, each profile exhibits a different way of using social media:

• Meme Maestro is the most interesting profile. About 40% of young users who responded to the instant social media survey sees the platforms as a form of entertainment, like memes and viral videos. This profile shares aspects of their lives and interests and connects with their peers to get inspiration for trendy products.
• Creative Explorer is the profile that uses social media as a platform to express their creativity through photos, writing, and art. They account for 18% of respondents and are young people who like to explore and deepen their interests, but also discover new topics and share information, promoting social causes and seeking help and support.
• Like Lover is the social media enthusiast profile, who seeks gratification through positive feedback, such as likes and comments. 17% of the total respondents use them as an escape from their daily routine, following and contacting their favourite idols and creators to feel part of another world.
• Social Soul is the profile for the young social media enthusiast who primarily uses the platforms to start relationships and meet new people, as well as to get advice and discover new passions. 14% percent of respondents fall into this category.
• Digital Dreamer is the profile that encompasses the aspects of all the previous profiles and represents those young people (11%) who use social media as a platform to explore and live out an online identity that’s different from their own in reality.

The results of the instant survey also debunked the belief that teenagers feel lonely without social media: on a scale from 1 (“not at all”) to 10 (“maximum”), the average score given to “fear of loneliness” was only 4.3 and is one of the lowest markers in importance among those considered. In fact, the highest scores went to “I would be bored” and “I would do more sports”.

Another interesting finding from the survey is that without social media, Gen Z would mainly miss WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, but they wouldn’t suffer without Facebook, which came last behind Twitch, Discord, and X, reflecting the strong need to stay in touch with their friends.

Through their collaboration with the Istituto di Ricerca Sylla, the Observatory gave a genuine picture of Gen Z by direct contact with the youngest generation and getting to know and examine their thoughts, opinions, expectations and interests in real time, through surveys conducted on and with the help of social media.

For all survey results, see Gen Zs: The Many Faces of Generation Z – https://webbohlab.it/

Webboh is the media hub for GEN Z. Created in April 2019, it has been part of Mondadori Media since February 2023. It currently has a fanbase of 3 million followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, 70% of which are under 24. The website receives 2.5 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb Media Month 2023). It is in the top ten most influential Italian media companies on social media, as well as the first of the Generation Z generation targeting engagement and video views (source: Italian Top Media Rankings of First Communication made by Sensemakers). The topicality, authenticity and interest generated by the content is guaranteed by the bottom-up editorial model: the community is involved in every part of the creative process.

Sylla is the research institute in charge of managing the lab, research activities, membership and awards. Established in 2016 after 25 years of experience in the field by the current management team, it specialises in strategic market research, web surveys, qualitative surveys and monitoring surveys. It collaborates with the Universities of Bologna, Turin, Cattolica and Bicocca in Milan and counts foundations, institutions and some of the largest communication agencies among its clients. Its scientific director is Professor Furio Camillo, Professor of Business Statistics at the Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Bologna, who is in an ongoing collaboration with the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (CNAM) in Paris and the University of Tennessee. He has authored more than 60 scientific publications, participated in more than 300 projects with Data Analyis activities applied to economic or social problems

Mondadori Media, the leading Italian multimedia publisher on social media and in the digital world involving Gen Z, was the protagonist with the stage “ReGENERATION from Z to Alpha” in the Vision Arena of the IAB Forum 2023, the main event in Italy dedicated to digital innovation, which was held in Milan on November 8 and 9. Building on its experience of social and new generation issues, Mondadori Media took advantage of the valuable setting provided by IAB Forum to announce two great new products dedicated to Gen Z: Webboh Lab and Z Power.

Webboh Labis the first permanent digital observatory of Gen Z, which gives back to the world the authentic photograph of this new generation: a privileged vantage point to know up close and in real time the thoughts, opinions, expectations and interests of young people, thanks to the centrality of Webboh, the first Italian community dedicated to Gen Z, and the authority of the Istituto di Ricerca Sylla.

In less than 48 hours, 24,000 teens between the ages of 12 and 20 responded to the first instant survey launched in community stories on Instagram. The results showed – as professor Furio Camillo, Professor of Business Statistics at the University of Bologna and Sylla’s Scientific Director, had the opportunity to illustrate – that Generation Z is not a monolith, but is made up of five profiles of social media users: Meme Maestro, comprising 40% of young people surveyed, Creative Explorer (18%), Like Lover (17%), Social Soul (14%), and Digital Dreamer (11%).

The “Meme Master” uses social media through entertainment and virality, while the other four clusters use the platforms for more value-based purposes, such as exploring interests, promoting social causes, obtaining support and sharing their creativity. Another piece of evidence that emerged debunks  the belief that young people without social media are  lonely: when asked to imagine a world without social media, the fear of loneliness scored 4.3 – on a scale where 1 equals “not at all” and 10 equals “maximum” – and is one of the last most important markers (the highest marks were obtained by “I would be bored” and “I would do more sport”). A further interesting result shows that, in a world without social media, the younger generation would miss WhatsApp and Instagram, followed by TikTok and YouTube, while they would not miss Facebook, in the last position behind Twitch, Discord, and X. To learn more about all the results of the survey and the survey possibilities offered by Webboh Lab, visit webbohlab.it.

There are also important news about Power Talent Agency. Z Power is the new agency’s spin-off dedicated to young talents who relate to Gen Z and with whom they share values and themes. A roster of ordinary young creators who speak about what they believe in, including ACapoDelGlobo (aka Giulia Berettini), Ella’s Book, Webboh talents as Claudia Mariani, Arianna Madonna and Christian Candela, and so many others. Z Power aims to create a bond between creators and brands that want to connect with their audiences, creating an ecosystem of mutual collaboration and growth. Its launch enriches Mondadori Media’s proposal for communicating the world of the younger generation, thanks in part to synergies with the Webboh publishing brand.

The IAB Forum 2023 hosted, among others, the plenary panel titled “Generazioni e Rigenerazioni,” an inspirational moment held by IAB Italia President Carlo Noseda and Andrea Santagata, Managing Director of Mondadori Media Area Digital and Polo MarTec. The panel was focused not only on digital evolution in the last 20 years but also on future and its applications, starting with AI.

On the same stage Benedetta De Luca, Disability Advocacy, Gender & Inclusion Editor for The Wom and creator of Power Talent Agency, attended too. She addressed the theme of inclusion within the world of communication together with Martina Fuga, Communications Manager of CoorDown, and Nicola Acampora founder of PizzAut.

Mondadori Media enlivened the Vision Arena with a rich schedule and many guests with the moderation of Giampaolo Colletti, journalist contributor to Il Sole24Ore and StartupItalia Director: 25 professionals in this sector, 65% of them women, delved into topics related to the new generations, such as communication strategies (thanks to the intervention of media and advertising agencies Open Influence, Ogilvy, Omnicom Media Group and Dentsu Creative) and the evolution of trends, thanks to the intervention of the main social platforms such as Meta, TikTok and YouTube. The values and creativity that characterize Gen Z with panels by The Wom and Webboh were outlined too.

During the two intense days of IAB Forum 2023, there were many workshops signed by Mondadori Media: in the first one, “The Social Big Opportunity,” Andrea Santagata presented Mondadori Media’s development strategy and, in the second one, Edoardo Rettori, Sales Account Manager of AdKaora, and Betty Lasjuilliarias, Digital & Omni-Channel Manager of Alcon, illustrated the successful case study for the Alcon brand thanks to the new Impact Video format of AdKaora.

You can view the full program at this link.

Mondadori Media is Italy’s leading multimedia publisher, with a distinctive positioning and audience on the editorial market. Through its brands, the Mondadori Group’s social multimedia company caters for the passions of the Italians – food, beauty, fashion, health and wellness, science and tech – and reaches more than 26 million unique users every month (source: Audiweb Jan-Aug 2023) and a total fanbase of 100 million (source: Comscore Shareablee + Pinterest insight October 2023).

Webboh is the flagship media of Gen-Z. Founded in April 2019, it has been part of Mondadori Media since February 2023. It currently has a fanbase between TikTok, Instagram and YouTube of 3 million users of which 70% are under the age of 24, a website of 2.5 million monthly unique users (source: Audiweb Average Month 2023) . It is in the top ten most influential Italian media on social, as well as the first in target generation Z for engagement and video views (source: Top Italian Media Rankings of Prima Comunicazione made by Sensemakers). The topicality, authenticity and interest aroused by the content is guaranteed by the bottom-up editorial model: the community is involved in every part of the creative process.

Power Talent Agency is Mondadori Media’s agency that manages a roster of talents with different artistic paths. The variety of profiles makes Power a unique reality in the Italian digital world, in which the talent of influencers and creators is transformed into value for brands, reaching over 30 million video views per month.The projects developed can also benefit from integration opportunities with Mondadori Media brands, from The Wom to Mypersonaltrainer to Webboh, for the creation of content with a strong impact in message, language and style. The goal is to create authentic stories for all target segments, especially for the genZ and young millennialZ public.

Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni, the entertainment world’s landmark brand, has awarded Antonio Ricci, the inventor of the Tapiro (a small golden tapir statue awarded to politicians and celebrities satirised by the show), with the Telegatto.

The entertainment world’s most coveted award was presented to the creator of Striscia la Notizia’s editor-in-chief, Aldo Vitali, during the show’s 35th anniversary: “We’re very happy to celebrate our friends at Striscia on this special anniversary with a Telegatto that adds to Antonio Ricci’s already rich and well-deserved collection. He’s a real TV star”, said Vitali while presenting the award.

The statuette was presented to the creator of Channel 5 satirical news program in Striscia’s Mediaset studios in Cologno Monzese, where the program’s museum is also located, which contains a great deal of memorabilia and documents, the collection of special Tapirs, and, on the walls, the lawsuits (all settled without damages) he has received over the past 35 years.

Photos of the award ceremony can be found not only on the brand’s social media pages and their website, sorrisi.com, but in the magazine on newsstands from Tuesday, 7 November, with a cover dedicated to Antonio Ricci and a long interview with Striscia’s creator, in which he recounts the long, extraordinary history of one of Italian television’s most watched and loved programs.

The Mondadori Group Photographic Archive opens its doors to the public for the first time as part of Archivi Aperti, an initiative organized by the association Rete Fotografia and whose 9th edition will take place from October 13 to 22, 2023 in several Italian cities.

On Friday October 20, the public will be able to visit the Mondadori headquarters in Segrate (Mi) which houses the enormous photographic heritage of the Group.

In addition, the event will be an opportunity to illustrate the valuable work that Mondadori Portfolio, the photographic agency of the Mondadori Group, has tackled from 2011 to the present and which has led to the digitization of a relevant part of the publisher’s immense historical archive and the prestigious Electa archive. A significant process of valorization, during which, through the recovery of prints, original negatives, photocolors and slides, famous names have returned to the public’s attention. These include Mario De Biasi, Giorgio Lotti, Angelo Cozzi, Sergio Del Grande, Marisa Rastellini and other authors who over the past 60 years have told, through their shots, the history of our country through the pages of the magazines Epoca, Grazia and Panorama.

In addition to Daniele Fiasca and Elisabetta De Simone, Mondadori Portfolio’s Director and Executive Manager respectively, Nadia Righi, Director of the Diocesan Museum, will also speak. Together with curators Maria Vittoria Baravelli and Silvia De Biasi, Nadia Righi will preview the exhibition “MARIO DE BIASI AND MILAN. Extraordinary Edition”, which the Milanese museum will host from November 14, 2023 to January 21, 2024 on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the great photographer of Epoca magazine. During the event, photographer Antonio Quattrone will also perform an opera reading.

The day’s program will also include a visit to Palazzo Niemeyer, an architectural masterpiece designed by Oscar Niemeyer and headquarters of the Mondadori Group.

For information and reservations (subject to availability) click here.

The platform of Mypersonaltrainer, a brand leader in health and wellness, has now expanded with Mypersonalpet, the new digital world — social network and website — designed for all animal lovers.

Pets are a source of well-being, contributing to improved quality of life, and they are now considered actual members of the family.

The growth of the pet market, which was also accelerated by the pandemic, has led to a parallel increase in the need for information, news, and guides on various aspects of their health and well-being.

Mypersonalpet aims to meet the desire for information for those who have chosen to open their homes to the love of a pet, not only dogs and cats, but also rabbits, birds, and fish.

Through collaboration with an exclusive network of authoritative professionals, rigorously selected among doctors, veterinarians, biologists, psychologists, ethologists, and trainers, pet lovers will be able to find useful advice and tips on nutrition, hygiene, and keeping their four-legged friends (and others) fit.

The Instagram profile @mypersonalpet, which has more than 330,000 followers, has registered 500,000 interactions and a reach of 4 million people in the last month, thanks in part to engaging visual posts on key topics with infographics, reels, and carousels.

In addition to complementing the main Instagram page @myptrainer, Mypersonalpet works with a network of experienced contributors and more than 30 top creators, as well as through collaboration with the Power and Zenzero talent agencies. The profile promotes an innovative narrative of personal & family wellness and provides information on touching stories and current social issues related to pets. There is no shortage of space for viral stories with intriguing and engaging formats such as “Pet dramas”, and more relaxing topics such as “Fashion & Accessories”.

Mypersonalpet officially launched at Mypersonaltrainer Days 2023, with volleyball player Cristina Chirichella and her dog Chichi acting as special representatives. The brand is dedicated to pets within the Mypersonaltrainer world, which 14 million people already access each month looking for information, tutorials, and advice regarding health, fitness, and personal wellness.

Mypersonalpet complements Mypersonaltrainer and Mondadori Media in the pet sector, and will work in full synergy with Mediamond and its dedicated unit, Brand On Solutions, to bring individual brands, innovative and effective branded content initiatives, and influencer marketing projects to the market.

Monge, a leading pet food company, was the first brand to believe in Mypersonalpet, investing in this new project during its launch.

AdKaora, the Mondadori Group digital agency specializing in user-centric mobile advertising and proximity marketing, was chosen by Boehringer Ingelheim to promote the launch of a new antiparasitic tablet available for purchase without a veterinary prescription, with a combined proximity marketing and digital out-of-home strategy.

The campaign appeared online in May and June and was managed together with Hearts&Science. The objectives were product awareness and drive to store, achieved by combining high-impact creative formats with advanced proximity tools. The result was a highly effective circular, multichannel project involving more than 2,000 pharmacies and nearby digital totem circuit.

To boost product awareness and encourage footfall in the related stores, the strategy involved the delivery of a mix of geolocal mobile display advertising and near-store push notifications, shown to customers near the related stores to direct users to AdKaora’s proprietary technology, Find&Go Now! It consists of a specially created interactive map customized with brand-recognition elements to guide consumers to the nearest store that carries the product.

The results were positive. The engagement rate stood at 26.4% and the footfall analysis showed that visitation uplift, i.e. the increase in visits to points of interest, reached 41.9%.

Francesca Santoro, Digital Brand Specialist Boehringer Ingelheim: “Working closely with stores through a multi-touch point approach is key in getting users to go the last mile. The activity with AdKaora in 2023 allowed us to bring a lot of people to pharmacies in just a few weeks”.

Davide Tran, CEO AdKaora: “The proximity marketing project implemented together with Boehringer Ingelheim shows the success of a multichannel planning, which acts effectively across the entire consumer funnel. From display formats that reinforce user engagement to push notifications that aim to intercept them at micro-moments of interest, combined with footfall analysis that measures increased visits to the related stores, the strategy has allowed us to achieve important results with great customer satisfaction and compliance with the required KPIs. In addition, by integrating the DOOH channel, we were able to plan hyperlocal content on the main digital systems in major Italian cities. Users exposed to the dual mobile and digital out-of-home channels had significantly higher visit rates and visitation uplift performance than users affected by only one of the channels”.

Stemming from a collaboration between Giallozafferano, the most popular food media brand in Italy, Oneshot Agency, a company that has worked for years in management and digital communication, and 6 top food creators — Daniele Rossi, Cooker Girl, Diletta Secco, Rosy Chin, Andriana Kulchytska and Luisa Orizio — Zenzero Talent Agency has become the landmark in the food influencer market in just a year.

Zenzero has always worked with the best Italian food creators to enhance their distinctive positioning and create synergistic online and offline pathways. Thanks to its partners’ experience, the agency has attracted unique talents, investing in promising new faces in the food scene. The co-founders are joined by another 20 food-creators, allowing the Talent Agency to reach over 30 million followers, 50 million video views, and 40 million monthly interactions, involving all tastes and cooking styles.

New research entitled “Italiani & Influencers” — released yesterday and conducted by BVA Doxa in collaboration with Mondadori Media — found that Zenzero creators are among the most followed by Gen Z in the food segment, playing a decisive role in the purchasing process.

Over the past twelve months, more than 200 influencer marketing projects have been carried out, including branded social content, multi-platform projects involving radio, TV, and participation in Italian and international events, such as the Giffoni Food Festival, the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, and the Speciality Fine Food Fair in London.

Through its synergistic collaboration with Giallozafferano, Zenzero Talent Agency has managed to develop valuable experiences in its first year, with effective language and innovative communication capable of capturing the public’s attention with a focus on younger generations. The next goal is to promote the spread of Italian cuisine and products in the United States by offering integrated media output in collaboration with Giallozafferano.

Alessandra Rigolio, CEO of Zenzero, says, “Celebrating the first 12 months of Zenzero Talent Agency is a source of pride. It has been a successful year, thanks to our extraordinary hub of creators and a passionate team that strives to follow, support, and enhance the talent of each creator every day. As we look towards the future, we will continue to support our creators by developing unique and engaging projects and content with them, designing formats that meet the public’s changing needs”.

Among the upcoming news there is the publication of cookbooks by some of Zenzero’s most beloved food creators, planned for this fall.
There will surely be innovative projects and increasingly distinctive communication products created in collaboration with Mediamond, which will not only rely on social networks but also involve TV platforms and podcasts.

Progresses of Artificial Intelligence in science and everyday life, robotic zoos, time travel in Virtual Reality, and even science-themed escape rooms, insights on medicine, sustainability, and novel points of view: that’s Visions, the theme that will be explored and experienced at Focus Live 2023, a project created by Mondadori Media, Mediamond and Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, scheduled November 3 to 5. 

The Festival of Knowledge conceived and organized by Focus – the Mondadori Group magazine directed by Raffaele Leone as well as the most widely read monthly magazine in Italy by enthusiasts and those curious about technology, science sustainability and innovation – reaches this year the sixth edition and confirms its successful format that, in 2022, won and involved more than 15 thousand visitors in attendance and obtained more than 250 thousand interactions on social media.

“Having reached the sixth edition, I can say that this knowledge festival is increasingly Focus and increasingly Live,” says the director Raffaele Leone. “More and more Focus because the spirit is that of the magazine: to increase knowledge by stimulating curiosity and fun. More and more Live because we are striving to find formats and events that are not just a live meeting with scientists or popularizers but in which we experiment with all available technologies (augmented reality, viewers, samples of the metaverse) to “immerse” ourselves in knowledge. If we then add other disciplines that we enjoy such as music, theatre and science, you go a full circle.”

Focus Live, open to the public and completely free of charge (reservation required), for the past six years has aimed to illustrate with popular language the horizons of human knowledge: from physics to medicine, from biology to genetics, from environmental advocacy to technology to digital communication. Innovation, creativity and curiosity will be the guidelines of this special edition, which will feature over a thousand square meters available to visitors, with 40 installations, five thematic areas and a very rich program of meetings, talks, workshops, performances, in the company of nationally and internationally renowned scientists, popularizers and creators.

This year’s Festival of Knowledge once again comes to life at the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia, the largest technical-scientific museum in Italy, a bridge between the past and future of scientific culture for 70 years. In this edition, the audience will be able to range between artificial intelligence, interactive digital art installations and Virtual Reality.

Among the protagonists of Focus Live 2023 will be, among others: navigator Giovanni Soldini, who will speak in the form of a hologram, Ilaria Capua, who will bring her show on circular health together with actress Antonella Attili, immunologist Alberto Mantovani, the physicist Alessandro Vespignani, the botanist Stefano Mancuso who will try his hand at a performance straddling science and music with an ensemble of the Milan Symphony Orchestra, the president of the CNR Maria Chiara Carrozza, the philosopher Luciano Floridi who is one of the foremost experts on artificial intelligence, disclosers such as Barbara Gallavotti, Silvia Moroni (sustainable talk), Massimo Temporelli, TikTok star professor Vincenzo Schettini, explorer, mental coach and environmental popularizer Alex Bellini and TV host and author Carlo Conti, who will receive the Telegatto from the director of Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni, Aldo Vitali.

Also on stage will be astronauts including Roberto Vittori, sportsmen such as Mike Maric, former world freediving champion, and former AC Milan and national team coach Arrigo Sacchi, who will talk about technology and artificial intelligence in soccer.

Closing the packed three-day schedule will be evolutionary scientist and popularizer Telmo Pievani and actor Marco Paolini, in a science show dedicated to Charles Darwin, one of the most visionary scientists in history.

What’s new
There are many new features in this edition, starting from new formats on stage: from Ted’s with VR experiences to quizzes with the audience-for example Stefano Bartezzaghi will engage the audience in a space-themed crossword puzzle -to special events, to exclusive theatrical or musical performances. The exhibition area will enclose five major thematic islands, Technology, Sustainability, Science, Space, Health curated by scientific or publishing partners that will alternate with sponsor activities: visitors will be able to attend interactive workshops, as well as interface with robots and bots powered by Artificial Intelligence, experience the thrill of simulators for time and space travel, and experience science-themed escape rooms and games. The works of Cracking Art will animate the Museum’s outdoor spaces, marking the 30th anniversary of the art movement that has always linked its creations to the themes of the relationship between nature and artifice, sustainability and the environment. More than 200 square meters will, finally, be dedicated to the Kids area,with experiments, workshops, meetings and games by Focus Junior to bring the youngest children closer to S.T.E.A.M. subjects.

Reservations to events can be made starting from today, Tuesday, October 17, at www.focuslive.it. Two shifts: morning (10 am to 2 pm) and afternoon (2 pm to 8 pm). Those who wish to stay all day can of course book tickets for both half days.

Looking forward to Focus Live 2023
There will be many initiatives leading up to Focus Live 2023. After the meeting on dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History in Milan, the concert lecture on Mahler organized by the Milan Symphony Orchestra and the real time travel in Virtual Reality by You Are Verdi, which allowed the many people present to experience the Milanese city, between the premiere of Nabucco at La Scala, the turmoil of the Five Days and the spirit of the Risorgimento of those years,on October 21 at the Civic Aquarium of Milan double date, at 18:30 and at 20:00, with La musica del mare: an unmissable opportunity to listen to the voices and songs of fish, corals and cetaceans, with marine biologist Sabina Airoldi, head of research at Tethys Institute in the Pelagos sanctuary. And not to feel too nostalgic about Focus Live 2023,on December 2, at the Ulrico Hoepli Planetarium in Milan, at 21:00, Adriano Fontana, an Inaf astrophysicist, and one of the scientists who routinely use the Webb telescope, will explain to the public how it works and present us with the latest findings.

This edition of Focus Live is realized thanks to the support and collaboration with Acquario Civico di Milano, Aeronautica Militare, Biokip Labs, CNR, Enea, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Giotto (Fila), IIT, Il Piccolo Teatro, Infn, Joint Research Centre, Navy, Milan Civic Museum of Natural History, Milan Symphony Orchestra, Shake srl, Milan Civic Planetarium, Politecnico di Milano, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, University of Padua and Way Experience.

Focus Live is a Mondadori Media event organised in partnership with the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, Mediamond and numerous others:

MAIN PARTNERS: Koelliker Group
PARTNERS: Carglass, Honor, Humanitas University,
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS: European Commission
CONTENT PARTNER: AIRC, Mondadori Education, Opera San Francesco, Rilegno, TUV SUD
ART GUEST: Cracking Art
TECHNICAL PARTNER: Lete
OFFICIAL RADIO: R101
KIDS AREA powered by Focus Junior

Over 27 million adult Italians (18-74 years old) follow at least one influencer or the social channels of a publishing brand (+17% compared to 2021), the figure corresponds to 71% of active users on social networks confirming the increasingly relevant importance of these figures in people’s daily lives and the fundamental role they assume in purchasing processes.

In addition,57% of Italians, out of the analysed sample of the population aged 18-54, follow a macro influencer or the social channels of an editorial brand every day (+20 percentage points in two years), 8% once a week, and only 5% said rarely. The “macro influencer” category includes people and editorial brands with at least 100 thousand followers recognized as influencers by their communities in six specific fields: lifestyle, beauty, fashion, entertainment, food and wellness.

These are some of the data that emerged from the new research “Italiani & Influencer” carried out by BVA Doxa in collaboration with Mondadori Media and Buzzoole, with the aim of thoroughly investigating the opinions of Italians towards a category that is increasingly present in people’s daily lives and has a strong impact from the point of view of purchasing processes and consumption.

But who are the top 5 macro-influencers by notoriety in Italy? Leading the ranking remains Chiara Ferragni (cited by 86 percent of the sample), followed by Giallozafferano (72 percent) and Benedetta Rossi (72 percent). In fourth place is ClioMakeUp (62 percent) and in fifth is Aurora Ramazzotti (60 percent).

Very interesting, and in discontinuity with other media, is the figure for the most followed topics on social media: in first place, in fact, the research notes food tied with entertainment, with 58 percent. It is not surprising, then, that the Top Five include two food media brands.

The importance of influencers as true tutors in purchasing processes is also reconfirmed in this year’s survey: 46% of respondents have made at least one purchase suggested by an influencer and 83% take their advice into consideration.

Examining purchase intentions in individual areas, topping the list of Italians’ preferences are the profiles of Giallozafferano (83%) in food&beverage, Mypersonaltrainer (81%) in the wellness area, and ClioMakeUp (88%) in the beauty world.

Andrea Santagata, CEO of Mondadori Media comments: “Years ago, we decided to strengthen our digital area by investing to strongly enter the social media segment and the influencer marketing sector. The results of this research fully confirm the validity and strength of this decision” – and continues- “Investing and growing in new media also means identifying and enhancing new talents and always focusing on new communication languages. With a network of 200 creators and more than 800 million monthly video views on the socials of our editorial brands, we are witnessing the transformation taking place in video entertainment, where social and creators are the new palimpsest of Gen Z. Socials today are increasingly the reference point for Italians on their main interests and passions with volumes typical of TV to which is added the ability to engage audiences.”

For the first time ever in the Italian scenario, it emerged, in addition, that there are more than 3 million Italians who follow at least one virtual influencer, particularly from the Gen Z and Millennials target audience. Specifically: 28% are from the 18-24 age group, 34% from the 25-34 age group, 24% from the 35-44 age group, and finally 14% from the 45-54 age group. Those who know and follow virtual influencers do so consistently every day (as if they were real influencers). In fact, 57 percent of respondents follow them every day, 28 percent every 2-3 days, 7 percent more or less once a week, 4 percent every 10-15 days, and only 5 percent have no usual frequency.

“The presence of influencers in people’s daily lives – adds Gianluca Perrelli, CEO of Buzzoole – is now well established. Indeed, in recent years, we have witnessed their evolution, thanks in part to their ability to create more and more empathy and affinity with their communities, establishing a trusting relationship with people. Two interesting trends also emerged from the analysis. The first is the extraordinary growth of TikTok with 25 percent, confirming it as an increasingly strategic channel. The other is that of virtual influencers, who are playing an increasingly prominent role on par with real influencers, as well as reaching out more to Gen Z and Millennials. In fact, we are witnessing yet another paradigm shift born in the wake of innovation itself.”

Regarding channels, in fact, there is the increase of TikTok with 25% (vs. 9% in 2021), especially for entertainment at 30%. Instagram, on the other hand, again emerges as the favourite social media of 77 percent (vs. 67 percent in 2021) of respondents.

Why do you follow an influencer?

Fifty percent of respondents say they follow them first and foremost because they provide advice and are considered experts to get information from, a motivation that was cited mainly by wellness (55 percent) and cooking (56 percent) enthusiasts. 46% follow them because they introduce new products.

The analysis considers the role of influencers in the buying process as well. In particular, it emerges that for 56 percent of respondents they are mentors in explaining a product especially in the beauty and wellness sphere; for 46 percent they are trendsetters who point out news or raise awareness of a new product (fashion and lifestyle); and for 37 percent they are people who point out where and when to buy a product (again in fashion and lifestyle).

In addition, 46% of respondents made at least one purchase because they were recommended by an influencer. In detail, 30 percent consider influencers’ advice a lot/regularly, 53 percent quite a bit, and 18 percent not much/not at all. The areas in which people shop are: beauty, food and fashion.

The survey involved over 1,300 respondents, representative of Italians between the ages of 18 and 54 who surf the Web, examining the six topics of greatest interest declined by socio-demographic profiles, with a focus also on the female target.

Full research is available here (in Italian).