1. CHANGES in the ITALIAN
MEDIA LANDSCAPE
by
Silvia Amelia Bianchi
Managing Director
SAB Communications
International PR Day – Berlin
Nov. 16th 2011

2. Company Overview
• Started Jan. 1995 in Germany (Munich), serving IT companies with marketing
services (campaigns, events, incentives, localizations)
• Moved back to Italy 2005
• 2009 change of the company name from SAB Marketing Services into SAB
Communications to reflect our core business:
PUBLIC RELATIONS
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 2

3. The Italian Market: your public
214. 032
other forms
(associations, local bodies)
1.161.429
limited partnerships or
“people societies”
1.384.089
capital ventures
(sole proprietorships / ltd. /
inc. / corp.)
3.374.567
individual companies
(professionals, freelancers)
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 3

4. Regional coverage
Companies Editors
Several hundreds
NORTH-WEST 1.615.435 publications
NORTH-EAST 1.207.197
editors based in Milan
CENTER 1.301.513
(majority of IT magazines)
SOUTH and ISLANDS 2.009.972
or Rome (majority of daily
newspapers) just a few
in southern Italy (mainly
online)
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 4

5. Italian press – some peculiarities
B2B press: a rarity!
Would you issue a “high-end”
B2B magazine in a country
where over 50% of the
readers are freelancers or
“sole proprietorships”?
Only a few dare it!
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 5

6. Italian press – some peculiarities
Instability:
not just a political issue!
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 6

7. Italian press – some peculiarities
Editor’s reaction to the crisis – the IT publications example
• You pay, I write trend in printed media
regardless of the quality of the contents you might produce, these
magazines will ignore your news unless you invest upfront.
• Huge amount of IT sites, some dubious
only a minority linked to a printed magazine, only 20 of the “just
onliners” deliver high quality contents, only 10 deliver business
oriented contents, the majority embeds tech news in a “daily” kind of
webzine (consumer oriented).
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 7

8. Kill two birds with one stone!
• Communicate to “high level”
magazines / sites only if you have
something relevant to say : sell
them exclusive contents, dealt with
in an understandable way for their
readers
• Communicate to the remaining
media constantly by generating
buzz around you.
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 8

9. Differentiate your communication!
• Learn to know your customer
• Learn to know your journalists
• Use different means of
communications including social
media!
• Use investments (if any) by turning
them the other way round for your
advantage!
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 9

10. Italian press: localized approach
• Case studies and testimonials should deal with
local success stories or best practices
• News about good numbers on the territory, new
local partnerships, your commitment to Italy,
these are particularly appreciated
• Knowledge articles are excellent, provided they
deal with real issues Italian companies are facing
or an interesting / relevant topic or trend
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 10

11. Italian press: to avoid
• English communications
• Too “self satisfied” communications
• Reiterated communications on the same
topic, even if relevant for the issuing
company
• Multiple irrelevant communications for the
target markets
• Communication holes
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 11

12. Communications 2.0: be ubiquitous
But pay attention to relevant contents!
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 12

13. Communications 2.0: track your readers
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 13

14. © 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 14

15. Silvia Amelia Bianchi
Managing Director
---------------------------------------------------------------
SAB Communications
Piazza del Popolo 6
22100 Como
Tel: +39 031 304459
Fax: +39 031 4451531
Cell: +39 340 7885343
Email: sbianchi@sab-mcs.com
© 2011 SAB Communications International PR Day - Berlin 15