What is your position and what do you do in the company?
I am Global Brand Manager & Digital Marketing Manager within the Calligaris Group. I deal with the development of the digital and e-commerce strategy of these two important brands, with the aim of developing the communication and sales channel and helping the company serve the final consumer in the most omni-channel perspective possible.
What was your path to taking on a senior role in marketing?
I worked for almost 11 years at Illycaffè within the E-commerce team, following its development and contributing to its global expansion throughout Europe, the United States and South America. I started working at Illy since university, and then developed as a project manager of all e-commerce projects and then became E-commerce Manager of the Direct Channel. It was an experience that certainly shaped me, having had the opportunity to work in the channel with the highest rate of innovation and strategic focus of the last 10 years, in addition to the fact of having always worked with an international team (USA primarily) which allowed me to broaden my horizons and have a culture as open as possible to all innovations. Direct experience in the field has done a lot and self-training has also done a lot: in recent years I have decided to invest a lot in myself, also going for a Master's in Business Administration in order to develop my business management and development skills.
Is there a social network that you prefer and one that you would easily do without?
I follow Instagram a lot because I am passionate about photography and video filming with drones, and this social network gives a lot of space to images and videos, as well as uniting many enthusiasts in the sector. It is a social network that lets the images "speak" a lot and I appreciate it for this. I'm happy to do without TikTok, but only because I'm definitely not the target 😊
How important are social media for your company today and what are the ways to make the best use of them?
Social media is playing an increasingly central role within digital communication in Calligaris: this year we have decided to invest significantly in it, above all reviewing the communication strategy and the quality of the content, which must necessarily differ from one social network to another. In my opinion they are a fundamental channel of two-way communication: it is important to have an approach that involves exchanging value with the community and not just one-way communication. Social media is not a space where you can republish catalog photos (however beautiful they are), but a place where you can really make your brand known, through a more "human" side by directly showing the people who work for your company, and perhaps also showing a less institutional but more "real" side. Everything must be done through empathetic and direct and not detached communication, as today's consumers are looking for something authentic and not pre-packaged. Social media is also essential for having direct contact with the consumer, as it increasingly represents the fastest way to get in touch with the brand for assistance with e-commerce orders, for information on products and services or for finding the nearest store. It is essential to be present at these contact points, especially if the company has decided to invest in an omni-channel strategy.
Given the growing relevance of the world of social media, combined with the multitude of activities reserved for the marketing office, have you ever thought about entrusting your company's social pages to professionals?
Absolutely yes, above all because it is a very delicate activity and which in my opinion should be entrusted to those who have made this activity a profession. Quality on social media is a point of strength and differentiation and social media rewards those who invest in the creation of valuable content: the higher quality the content (photos, videos, etc.) is, the more time users will dedicate to social media and the brands that offer them. Many companies structure themselves with an in-house social team, but in my opinion, given the speed with which social media evolves nowadays, it is important to rely on professionals who have direct contact with social media and who constantly invest in training and in providing a quality service, through the creation of photos, videos and the creation of editorial plans aligned with the company's strategy. We decided to entrust Calligaris' social media to them as it is not an "agency", but a group of professionals capable of strategically supporting our company with a high quality service. The added value lies in the fact that they do not only deal with the management and support of the editorial plan, but support the company with the creation of its contents (photos and videos) at a professional level. I like to define our collaboration as a real partnership rather than a mere "customer-supplier" relationship.
What are your future plans in the company and your passions beyond work?
My goal is to further develop the development of the e-commerce channel for Calligaris and Connubia, allowing these two important Italian brands to establish themselves above all abroad and to create a true center of digital excellence in the Home & Furniture segment. My passions are very varied, given that I am very curious and passionate about many activities: I do a lot of sport (football, running and, lately, padel), I enjoy photography and aerial filming with drones (for which I have also obtained licenses to be able to "fly" calmly and get as close as possible to a professional quality level) and I play piano and guitar. Finally, I read a lot, being passionate about books on marketing, psychology and digital innovation.