What led you to take on a position in marketing?
I graduated in International Economics at the University of Trieste and immediately after I had the opportunity to do an internship in Japan. I fell in love with this country and, after the internship, I decided to stay, working for another 6 years between Japan, South Korea and China. I then moved to Seoul for 3 years, entering a wine import business. Here I took my first steps in the world of marketing. Subsequently I joined Val D'Oca as manager of GDO Italy, a position I held for 9 years. For about a year, however, I have held the role of Commercial Director.
What is your role in the company and who do you interact with the most?
In Val D'Oca I am a coordination figure. I deal with commercial strategies and supervise communication and marketing linked to our two brands, Val d'Oca and Cantina Produttori di Valdobbiadene, mainly offline but also online. I certainly interface with the General Manager and the Marketing Office. We have a team made up of 3 resources: two are more vertically focused on product marketing while the other is our PR.
Which social network is more in line with your business model and which is less?
Facebook is certainly the platform on which Val D'Oca has been present for the longest and is still the one most in line with the brand. Instagram also gives us a lot of satisfaction and helps us engage a younger audience. The furthest channel at the moment is X, or Twitter. In the future we would like to increase our digital presence by opening a profile on TikTok.
The data shows that having a low number of followers damages the brand image, what do you think?
This is a fact that needs to be put into context, especially in the wine sector. I believe that in this area the quality matters more, not only of the products but also of the fan base. It also depends on the positioning of the brand in the market: the higher it is, the more the consumer pays attention, informs himself and searches for data also on social media. As for Val D'Oca, I believe that the number of followers is not such a decisive metric because, being a brand, the strength lies in the set of products. I think the perception is different compared to individual people's social channels.
How important are online reviews, are they important?
Reviews provide us with a direct relationship with the end consumer. This is an action that requires a "stronger" intention and commitment of time than simply following on social media. Thanks to this feedback we realize where we can improve, what works and what should be improved. We receive reviews directly on the Val D'Oca website, one of the first e-commerce sites in the sector. We don't have a team dedicated only to this type of interaction but it is a priority for us. We are very focused on customer care, we always respond to consumer requests and reviews.
Have you thought about enlisting the help of professionals from the social world given the importance achieved by digital platforms and their management complexity?
Absolutely yes! Val D'Oca has been collaborating for a very long time with a verticalised reality mainly on the performance aspect. There are also other companies that follow us because we prefer to diversify: we rely on agencies or vertical professionals for their services. I believe that collaborations with the outside stimulate us and improve us from a professional and human point of view. Working side by side with industry professionals allows us to grow, learn and discover new aspects of the constantly evolving digital world.
What are the future corporate communication projects?
About two years ago we undertook a process of rebranding the two brands linked to Val D'Oca. It was a very long journey that involved all the offices: from the products to the logo and website. We wanted to broaden our target audience and involve a younger audience with a different sensitivity towards this sector. As already mentioned, we want to expand our strategies and our social presence. We also have important offline projects that will involve the shop and the cellar. We will also launch the website and social channels of the Cantina Produttori di Valdobbiadene brand, dedicated to the off-trade channel.