Business

Thursday 22 July sees the opening in Catania of a new Mondadori Bookstore. The opening event, which will take place on Wednesday 21 July at 7 pm, is expected to be attended by Salvo Pogliese, the Mayor of the City of Catania, and Barbara Mirabella, the City Councillor for Culture and Educational Policy of the Municipality of Catania. Also present for the ribbon cutting will be the Sicilian artists Vittorio Ribaudo, a painter of wood and of nature, and street artist Mikhail Albano, who, to mark the opening, will be showing some of their work in the new bookstore.

The Mondadori Bookstore in via D’Annunzio will be a point of reference for all book lovers with an extensive offer of books of all kinds, from bestsellers to niche titles, curated by the experience of a team of six passionate booksellers who will welcome readers seven days a week.

A space for cultural aggregation that will be animated by a calendar of events aimed at engaging the public, including meetings with local and national writers, protagonists from the world of the arts and entertainment.

“We are delighted to be able to launch this new project with a brand like Mondadori Store in the city where we grew up. This is also a young entrepreneurial adventure that began a few years ago when with my brother we made the decision to invest in this area, opening the first bookstore, together with Mondadori Store. Following the successful opening of sales outlets inside the Le Zagare and Katanè shopping malls, we are expanding the cultural offering in the heart of Catania: the new bookstore will be a place to live, meet people and will provide a stimulus for the entire community,” said Stefano Monica, the businessman affiliated with the Mondadori Store chain.

Covering a surface of 360 square metres on two floors, the Mondadori Bookstore will stock more than 50,000 books including fiction, non-fiction, miscellaneous titles and the classics, as well as a wide and curated selection of cartoons, from manga to superheroes and graphic novels. There is also a section dedicated to Sicily and local authors. A specific area is also dedicated to children and young adults, from educational games to illustrated books to stimulate young readers.

Visitors will also find a varied and high-quality assortment of stationery, gift boxes and gift cards. Meanwhile, the second floor of the bookstore has space that will be used to host literary and musical events.

All of the customers of the Mondadori Bookstore will also be able to make use of digital services, such as come Pick Up Point, which enables customers to collect from the store books bought on Mondadoristore.it, selected from a catalogue of over 1 million titles; Prenota e ritira (Order and collect) with which readers can order online and pay and collect in the store; and Invia a casa (Home delivery) to have books ordered in the store delivered straight to your home.

This new opening takes to four the number of Mondadori Store outlets in the city of Catania.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE
Via Gabriele D’Annunzio 115, 95127, Catania
Open: Mon-Sun 09.00 – 20.30
E-mail: mondadoridannunzio@outlook.it – 095.2202569
www.mondadoristore.it/negozi
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Responding to the new needs of contemporary living, accompanying readers with proposals and solutions that are always original and accessible: CasaFacile, the Mondadori Group brand edited by Francesca Magni, confirms its position as a point of reference for interiors and lifestyle enthusiasts, thanks to the excellent performance, recorded in the first 5 months of the year, of both the magazine the website and on social networks.

“Every month on newsstands and every day on social media, it is exciting to experience the active participation of our community: people who are passionate about the home and everything that can make it more liveable, hungry for inspiration, style ideas and solutions to copy, as well as ways to make the house more in tune with nature. In recent months we have literally “felt” the growing loyalty towards CasaFacile, in a virtuous circle that integrates both print and digital. The biggest satisfaction is receiving messages on Direct Instagram that say: ‘I discovered you on Instagram and now I can’t wait to get the magazine every month from the newsstand,’” said Francesca Magni, editor of CasaFacile.

The first 5 issues of the year of the monthly, which have also included special editions enhanced with new features, in fact recorded a 7% increase in circulation compared with 2020 (Source: the publisher, January-May).

“La Casa dei sogni” (Dream Homes), the first digital Festival conceived by CasaFacile, which started with the special April issue was a huge success. In fact, for a month the brand used the website and social media to talk about what we dream for our homes and how to improve the quality of life by redesigning the spaces in which we live: It involved a community of over 1 million fans, up 39% compared with last year (Source: Shareablee + Pinterest May 2021), and achieved a total reach of 27 million users and 1.7 million total video views (source: Facebook, Instagram and site).

CasaFacile has proved to be an authoritative and effective partner also for its growing number of advertisers, who are increasingly and aware of the brand’s ability to generate audience and interact with its vast community: in the period from January to May 2021, CasaFacile’s advertising revenues (print and digital) grew by 47% compared with the previous year, with a space share of more than 60% in its segment of reference, establishing itself as the market leader the monthly consumer interiors segment.

In the autumn, a number of new initiatives await readers and users who are more attentive to new ways of living at home, sustainability and ‘green’: CasaFacile will continue to interpret the need for design that is more in tune with nature and will introduce a series of initiatives that will take shape in the coming months, entitled “Natural Recall”, starting with two special issues of the magazine.

September’s issue of CasaFacile will be dedicated to “A house in harmony with nature”, giving space to new projects from all over the world, with rooms aimed at optimising thermal comfort and brightness, solutions to multiply the quantity of green, even in small spaces, and furnishings in natural materials. With stories from people who have decided to integrate nature into their lives and new ways of bringing nature into the home, such as balcony gardens and botanical décor.

The October issue,  will feature “A home in harmony with you”, an invitation to build a house tailored to what you want and enjoy: room by room, tips and smart products for virtuous living, from carefully selected new models for the kitchen to the best materials for sustainability, recyclability, resistance and pleasantness of use, as well as textiles for a good sleep, the organisation of remote working, to reconcile work and private life.

All this will also lead into the second edition of the CasaFacile digital festival, which will run from 4 to 30 October 2021 with content and background detail on the website and on social media. “Natural Recall” is an invitation to global well-being: and starts from the theme of nature and sustainability, but extends to embrace all kinds of products that can make life at home more pleasant, add atmosphere and live-ability, decorate, creating a new relationship with the outside world, making the home more connected and easy to manage remotely, enabling you to equip home offices or fitness and hobby corners, while also improving energy performance and thermal comfort.

A new opportunity for partners who want to talk about their projects and new ideas to render the home more in harmony with us and with nature, with video formats and Instagram stories, produced by the team of bloggers, interior designers and architects who work with the magazine.

A form of cross-media storytelling that will engage readers on all the brand’s digital touchpoints, thanks to the ability of CasaFacile to evolve its offer to embrace the new needs of the contemporary audience.

Cultivated, open, curious: these are just some of the characteristics of female readers of magazine that emerge from a new survey by Mondadori Media entitled “The value of print”, conducted in collaboration with the Istituto More and Bva-Doxa, on a sample of omen aged between 25 and 55 who regularly buy and read women’s and lifestyle magazines in Italy.

The survey looked at the lifestyles, habits and reading experience of the sample with a view to drawing up a profile of contemporary readers and identifying that current value of print media, in a scenario in which everyone an increasingly plural media diet.

According to the survey, the female readers of magazines have a hugely varied cultural consumption compared with non-readers: they go to the theatre (45%), exhibitions (58%), they read at least 5 books a year (64%) and also read daily newspapers (81%).

They also have a higher spending capacity and propensity to consume: more than half of the magazine readers (56%) reported a higher spending capacity and that they spend a lot on travel, in particular in Europe (61%), food and beverages (38%), restaurants (27%), clothes and accessories (24%), the home (18%) and technology (18%). 39% adores shopping and more than half (51%) wear prestigious branded items.

In terms of purchasing, 41% of the sample define themselves as demanding and selective, a figure that rises to 49% for the readers of Mondadori Group magazines, who also have a greater interest in branded products (56%). Overall, 39% of the sample is willing to pay more for a product that gives satisfaction and significant importance is attributed to the list of ingredients (41%) in food and wellness. Special interest also emerged for body care: with readers frequently visiting beauty centres (34%), gyms (28%), spas (11%), or buying cosmetics (27%). If we consider only the female readers of Mondadori brands, the purchasing proportion rises to 35%.

An examination of the benefits of reading printed magazines showed that magazines provide an intense and rewarding experience. Interaction with the title is an authentic experience that permits a relaxing and concentrated use (76%), which also makes it possible to pause and reflect on details (69%). Reading is slow and takes up more time and is also less wasteful (67%), making it possible to remember more about what is read (57%), and is perceived not only as providing access to content but also as a moment for oneself (71%).

In fact, the multi-sensorial element offered by magazines is marked, and this in turn stimulates the imagination by activating various senses: tactile contact with the magazine and paper is appreciated (67%), as are the images that allow one to immerse oneself in different environments and situations (57%) and the smell (47%).

Appreciation was also expressed for advertising (77%), which is considered non-invasive if the quality is high (61%), and even has a suggestive and inspirational value, in particular among the readers of Mondadori titles, who are glad to look ad magazine advertising (85%), above all for luxury brands and cosmetics (74%). Attention to the quality of the images and details encourages a higher level of enjoyment and satisfaction among readers, in a continuous flow with the actual editorial content. A more attentive engagement with the pages of a magazine also helps to stimulate memory, in fact 94% of readers claim to have bought products that they have seen in magazines.

Mondadori Retail, the company that manages Italy’s most extensive chain of bookstores, continues its development strategy with the opening of con 10 new sales outlets across the country.

The new Mondadori Bookstores – both directly managed and franchised – that will open in the coming months will be supported by a plan to strengthen the offer, digitization and the launch of a training programme for booksellers.

“In a year that has been characterised by great dynamism in the book sector, we think that it is a real priority to invest in both the development of physical stores and the enhancement of services,” declared Carmine Perna, chief executive of Mondadori Retail. “Preference will be given to medium-sized shops, managed directly in the larger towns and cities and as franchises in smaller centres, with the aim of responding to the cultural needs of the local communities with an offer the corresponds to the customer. We will also offer specific training to our booksellers and new digital tools to encourage and expand the relationship with readers across the country,” Perna concluded.

A new Mondadori Bookstore has opened in Milan, within Bicocca Village. This directly-managed shop will be a point of reference for book lovers with over 10,000 titles available, from fiction to non-fiction, classics and comics, a sector dedicated to kids and young adults, with films and toys, and s selection of quality stationery, gift boxes and gift cards.

Another new opening took place at the end of May in Pontecagnano (Salerno): where the nee Mondadori Bookstore will enhance the offer of the Centro Maximall with the best of Mondadori’s offer of culture and entertainment.

By the end of July other new Mondadori Bookstores will be opened in Portogruaro (Venice), in the Adriatico2shopping mall and in San Martino Buon Albergo (Verona), inside Le Corti Venete, to be followed in the autumn by another three directly-managed stores in central-north regions.

Also franchised openings will continue: following those in March and April in Cava de Tirreni, L’Aquila, Avella, Naples and Frascati, new affiliated booksellers will open another three Mondadori Bookstores in the centre and south of Italy before the end of the summer.

As well as reinforcing the shops, the Mondadori Retail strategy is focused on enhancing specific market segments, expanding the in-store assortment with the introduction of the Just Comics format: an in-store comics factory, to give more visibility to a publishing area that is meeting with increasing public interest.

Just Comics is already present in Milan with an entire floor dedicated to the segment in the Rizzoli Galleria book shop and the Mondadori Megastore in Piazza Duomo, in the Mondadori Bookstores in Arese, Padua, Bologna, and  both the Via Appia and Fiumicino stores in Rome, and with an extensive section in the main shops of the chain, as well as on www.mondadoristore.it. With a selection of over 10,000 comic and illustrated titles, that go from manga to graphic novels and superheroes, it will be a new point of reference of all comics fans and everyone who wants to discover a world full of stories.

Mondadori Retail has also launched an extensive training programme for booksellers, which aims to reinforce the skills of the teams in the directly-managed stores, by enhancing important aspects of the relationship with readers, from when they arrive in the shop until they make a purchase. For the franchise chain, a series of meetings will begin in the autumn aimed at providing booksellers and the entrepreneurs who have decided to affiliate with the chain with the tools and knowledge necessary to develop their skills.

Particular attention is also being given to digital services, which are increasingly central in the relationship with readers and the buying process, which have been designed around the needs of new consumers. The entire Mondadoristore.it catalogue – with over 1 million titles, including books in Italian and in original languages, school textbooks, eBooks, eReaders, films in DVD and Blu-ray, music of every kind, toys, gift ideas and stationery products – is accessible also through free multichannel services, selecting between the Pick Up Point, Prenota e Ritira (Order & Collect) and Invia a casa (Delivery) options.

There is also an expansion of the range of new cashless services, such as Scalapay, available from June, which enables customers of the online channel to pay by instalments, and a  pay by mail solution, which will be up and running by the end of the year, to pay remotely for purchases made in store.

The logistics area – essential to ensure an increasingly efficient service for both customers and booksellers – is also being upgraded, with the optimisation of the entire process – from orders to delivery– with the autumn introduction of dropshipping, an innovative distribution model that makes it possible to reduce delivery times.

Pantheon Media Group (PMG), the publisher of Grazia USA, has signed a letter of intent with Mondadori Group to launch Grazia in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Thailand, between September 2021 and the end of 2022.

Positioned on all the established fashion and luxury markets, Grazia is the first 100% Italian fashion magazine to have exported its successful formula worldwide, from Italy to the United States. The Mondadori Group Brand, wich now counts 21 editions worldwide in 23 countries, reaches a global audience of 15 million readers, 35 million unique users and over 20 million followers on social media.

“Luxury brands have made a giant geographical pivot to Asia and have declared their intent to make APAC (Asia-Pacific) a priority,” said Dylan Howard, Chief Executive Officer of PMG. “As these brands meet the demand of high-spending luxury customers, Grazia will play a pivotal role in engaging with these users throughout innovative, one-of-a-kind digital platforms and trusted, respected editorial content.”

“Pantheon Media Group has established itself as a premier partner for Grazia, with a dramatic surge in traffic since Grazia USA launched through the platform graziamagazine.com. The new business model, which has strong potential for development in other international markets too, blends authoritative content and a strategic use of data to create a distinctive positioning, addressing the needs and interests of users and advertising custumers,” said Daniela Sola, Managing Director International Business of Mondadori Media.

Dylan Howard, Chief Executive Officer of PMG, also announced the hiring of Brendan Monaghan as PMG’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Brand Officer overseeing the expansion into Asia and Grazia USA. He will report to Mr. Howard.

Mr. Monaghan recently returned to the United States from Hong Kong, where he served as Chief Commercial Officer of Tatler Asia Group overseeing all business, marketing, and event functions for all advertising categories at the media company. Prior to that, Mr. Monaghan led fashion and luxury digital and print sales along with marketing as Chief Fashion & Luxury Officer across Condé Nast’s entire portfolio. Monaghan also will oversee all advertising sales efforts for PMG’s burgeoning international and luxury portfolio, in addition to editorial, business affairs, and consumer marketing.

“Brendan is a natural born leader and true innovator with demonstrated sales expertise across every media platform,” said Dylan Howard. “During his tenure at Tatler Asia Group, Brendan proved that premium content – matched with data and insights – produced across all media platforms is the most powerful combination for creating audience connections. I am thrilled Brendan chose Pantheon and Grazia as his next home upon returning to the United States.”

Monaghan joins Jillian Maxwell, Grazia USA’s Chief Revenue Officer, and David Thielebeule, Editor in Chief and Chief Creative Officer of the U.S. edition. Both will now report to Mr. Monaghan.

“I am thrilled to be a part of Grazia‘s exciting global expansion plans, and to join Jillian and her team. Grazia is one the of the most iconic and most powerful brands in the world, and I am honored to be a part of taking it to new heights. The opportunities that lie ahead have no ceiling,” said Brendan Monaghan, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Brand Officer of PMG.

PANTHEON MEDIA GROUP, LLC

Pantheon Media Group (PMG) is an independent next-generation media company that brings one of the most prestigious fashion magazines, born in Italy in 1938, to the biggest fashion market in the world. PMG is the exclusive publisher of Grazia USA, a global digital-first platform with a quarterly 400-page print edition due out in September 2021.

Some 20 million Italians between the ages of 18 and 54 follow at least one influencer. Of these, 48% follow a macro-influencer; a category that includes not only individuals, but also publishing brands with stand-out social media profiles in their communities of reference and recognised as authoritative in nine specific areas: health and wellbeing, families and children, entertainment, technology and science, beauty and personal care, fashion, food and beverages, travel and tourism, cars and motorcycles.

And it is precisely these macro-influencers that are at the heart of the survey “Italians & Influencers” conducted by Buzzoole, InfoValue and Mondadori Media, aimed at examining more closely the views and opinions of Italians regarding an increasingly significant category in consumer behaviour.

In particular, it looks more closely at the relationship between Italians and influencers and publishing brands, with regard to the social media presence and the type of role that they play in entertainment and users buying habits.

The first interesting element is the frequency with which users consult their profiles: 37% claim to follow them every day, while another 37% check in every 2-3 days.

Why do users follow influencers?

For the advice they give (54%, above all for matters related to food) or for their expertise in specific areas (51%, technology and automotive) or because they are considered models of reference to identify with (19%, fashion and families).

At the top of the list for renown on social media there is Chiara Ferragni (mentioned by 85% of the sample), followed by GialloZafferano (72%) and Benedetta Rossi (71%).

As part of the study, emphasis was given to the role of macro-influencers in buying behaviour, with a different focus depending on the sector of interest for users. This showed that they can play the role of a “tutor” that explains a product (for 54% of the interviewees), especially in the areas of food beauty, a discoverer able to introduce new products (for 47%) for tech and beauty, a friend who can say where and when to buy something (41%), above all for fans of cars and motorcycles, or, also, an outstanding trendsetter (27%).

There is, therefore, a clear recognition of the commercial function: an expectation that influencers and publishing brands can provide information on a wide range of product types and become an “advisor” that in every situation can play a determining role.

Have looked at the role of macro-influencers in buying behaviour, the survey then examined their level of incidence in buying propensity: 85% of Italians claim to take the opinions of influencers into consideration when buying a product.

The study also looked in detail at how many purchases are “actually” made on the basis of the advice of influencers. Over the last year around half of the interviewees bought an average of 2 products or services recommended by influencers or editorial brands on social media: beauty, food, fashion and technology being the most influenced shopping categories.

An examination of buying intention is single areas, showed that in first place among the preference of Italians were the profiles of GialloZafferano (89%) in the food & beverage sector and Mypersonaltrainer for products related to health and wellness.

“The study conducted in along with Mondadori Media and InfoValue,” declared Gianluca Perrelli, CEO of Buzzoole, “has clearly demonstrated the complexity of a now consolidated phenomenon that involves millions of people. In addition, it has highlighted the multiple roles that Creators can have for Italians, not just as repeaters of messages, but as key elements in the purchasing process.”

“Brands remain among the main influencers of consumer buying habits, and central in the discovery of new trends and tendencies,” declared Andrea Santagata, General Manager of Mondadori Media. “The research clearly shows how some of them, the more vertical with a language and approach that is close to users, have maintained, and even reinforced, this role, also in the increasingly important social media environment. I think that it is key for a brand in social media to satisfy specific need, with a view to providing users with help and support.”

As regards the platforms used, Instagram emerged as the social media platform par excellence (67%), followed by Facebook (59%) and YouTube (53%). The younger target follow on TikTok (9%) and 4% on Twitch.

This quantitative survey involved over 1,500 interviewees, representative of Italian web users between the ages of 18 and 54, and examined 9 topics of main interest, arranged by socio-demographic profiles, with a special focus on female targets.

“Italians & Influencers” was conducted in the context of the WeTalks project: a permanent observation laboratory through which Mondadori Media addresses companies interested in information about the dynamics of consumer behaviour. The complete results of the survey are available on www.buzzoole.com and www.wetalks.it.

Coming to newsstands on 26 February Me contro Te: the only original fantasy comic by Luì & Sofì, the two YouTubers who have won the hearts of millions of children through simplicity, a joyous spirit, positive values and an ability to create content to evoke dreams and stimulate imagination.

Luì & Sofì have chosen the Mondadori Group for the launch of their first 100% official magazine 100: an occasion to entertain and transport young kids on a range of adventures and the discovery of the world of science.

“We are really excited about this super new project. The fantasy comic Me contro Te is a magazine entirely devoted to fun and the discovery of the world and its wonders. We want to thank the Mondadori Group for having once again believed in us and for having helped us to create the magazine of our dreams,” commented Luì and Sofì.

Every month this new fantasy comic will present two new adventures by Luì & Sofì, illustrated and told in the unique. Colourful and joyous style that is the basis of the magical world of the Me contro Te. Plus, news, curiosities, original ideas from little experiments, topic-based games and quizzes to test readers’ knowledge: an authentic “activity magazine”, conceived for boys and girls aged between 6 and 10. Among the features of the first issue, the world of insects and dinosaurs. The young readers can also write and send drawings to their favourites: and the best letters will be published.

Children will be brought closer to interesting and educational content, thanks to the new comic format of Me contro Te that makes reading stimulating, in a simple but engaging way, in line with the great publishing success of the books published by Mondadori Electa.

The launch of Me contro Te – Il fantafumetto, with a print run of 100,000 copies for the first issue, was announced in a preview by Luì and Sofì in a post on their Instagram profile and is supported by a communication campaign on print media and point of sale.

The magazine will be available on newsstands from 26 February, with a cover price of €4.90.

On newsstands from today Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni Cucina, a new monthly supplement to Italy’s most widely read weekly, produced with the exclusive collaboration of the website of GialloZafferano, the food media brand that is a point of reference for Italians in the kitchen.

Every month Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni Cucina will offer readers 50 fast and east recipes, explained step-by-step, in the classic GialloZafferano style. Each issue will feature on the cover a TV personality, or a star from the world of music or the cinema, who will share with readers their own specialities in the kitchen. Plus, starters, main course, fish and eggs, tasty ideas with vegetables side dishes, as well as chocolate desserts, creams and fruit. And not forgetting advice on how to vary dishes with alternative ingredients and on easy storage.

“Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni Cucina brings together two worlds much loved by the public, entertainment and cooking, with the aim of giving our readers even more service content, thanks to the experience of GialloZafferano, while maintaining a central focus on quality content, new ideas within the reach of everyone and entertainment for the whole family,” explained Aldo Vitali, the editor of Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni.

The first issue features the Neapolitan actor and director Vincenzo Salemme, with his recipe for spaghetti with tomatoes and basil. “A dish that only seems simple, but the requires the use of high quality, fresh ingredients,” says Salemme. Adding that, “Though I am not a chef, I kow how prepare food. And I like to eat well.” 

Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni is the brand leader in the world of entertainment, with a total audience of over 5.1 million readers and users (Source: Nielsen Media Impact data fusion, May 2020) and more than 900,000 fan (Source: Shareablee, December 2020), thanks to a system that ranges from the magazine, to the web site, social media, and events such as Sorrisi Live, a programme of appointments with leading figures from the entertainment world live on social media every Wednesday, which, since the launch in October, has reached a total of almost  quasi 4 million users. Forthcoming guests include, the actor Serena Rossi on 13 January and the singers Emma and Alessandra Amoroso on 20 January.
The editorial offer of Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni is completed by the supplements Storie di fede, which covers issues related to religion with exclusive stories; Oroscopo, a monthly overview of what is written in the stars, Enigmistica, with 100 games including crosswords, puzzles, sudoku and much more, and special collections of CDs, DVDs, books and gifts, with 2.7 million add-on products sold in 2020.

The launch of Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni Cucina, on newsstands from today with a cover price of  €0.50 plus the weekly, will be supported by a  TV commercial, planned on Mediaset channels.

Sorrisi live – Un Sorriso per Natale (A Christmas Smile) is the exclusive musical event that Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni, the Mondadori Group brand that is a point of reference for the world of music and entertainment, is giving to its readers and users this Christmas.

The initiative, that will be broadcast on Wednesday 16 December from 7 pm on the sorrisi.com website, as well as the magazine’s Facebook page and Instagram account, features some of Italy’s biggest and most popular stars.

A series of performances on the virtual Sorrisi Live stage by Francesco Gabbani, Ermal Meta, Annalisa, Gigi D’Alessio, Samuel, Federica Carta, Edoardo Bennato, i Tiromancino, i Pinguini Tattici Nucleari and Diodato. All of the artists will give the audience an acoustic version of song from their repertoire exclusively for Sorrisi along with special Christmas wishes for their fans.

The event will be presented by the editor of Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni Aldo Vitali, together with Gabriele Corsi from the Trio Medusa.

“This is our Christmas gift to the readers of Sorrisi and for all the users who follow us on social media.” Declared the editor Aldo Vitali. “It will be an authentic concert with some of the biggest names in Italian music, all of whom are friends of Sorrisi and gladly accepted our invitation to take part and who I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart. For the reasons we all know, this will be a Christmas will not be normal, but we want to add a smile to make it a little less disappointing,” the editor concluded.

On the occasion of Sorrisi Live -Un Sorriso per Natale, Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni also wants to offer a moment of peace and enjoyment for children in hospital and their families. Which is why the magazine is supporting the Fondazione Dottor Sorriso which, for 25 years, has been promoting d Terapia del Sorriso (smile therapy) in Italy aimed at cheering up young patients and helping them to face their illnesses and hospital stays. “We have decided to support this particular Foundation in order to lighten children’s suffering Fondazione with a joke, a game and a song, all of which are aimed at bringing a smile to their faces in a difficult moment. Also, because smiling is good for the heart and we at Sorrisi know this very well,” explained Vitali. To underline the importance of the project, the editor and Gabriele Corsi will be wearing a red nose for the entire duration.

Sorrisi Live – Un Sorriso per Natale is a confirmation of the special relationship that has always linked Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni to the world of entertainment and unites it, without barriers, to a public of over 5.1 million people, including readers, users and fans, thanks to a system that ranges from Italy’s most widely read weekly magazine, to the website, social media and events.

This virtual concert is also part of the Sorrisi Live programme, a cycle of live events on Sorrisi social media featuring the most popular personalities from the world of television, music and cinema. Since October, every Wednesday, artists of the caliber of Francesco Gabbani, Max Pezzali, Francesca Michielin, Fedez, J-Ax, Luca Argentero, Federica Panicucci, Michelle Hunziker, Ambra Angiolini have participated in this rich calendar of exclusive interviews, reaching a total reach of 3.1 million users.

In order to follow, comment on and share Sorrisi Live – Un Sorriso per Natale please use the hashtags #SorrisiLive #unSorrisoPerNatale.

Books offer experience, enjoyment, reflection: essential goods that the Mondadori Store bookshops continue to provide to people around the country at more than 550 shops open across the entire county, while also ensuring maximum protection of the heath of customers and staff.

In this period, Italy’s most extensive bookshop network is inviting readers to spend some free time in a bookshop to bring forward the tradition moment of buy books as Christmas gifts with a campaign entitled, “Regala una storia, emoziona chi ami” (“Give the gift of a story, and move someone you love”). An initiative which, in line with the appeal made by AIE – Associazione Italiana Editori (the Italian Publishers’ Association) and ALI – Associazione Librai Italiani (the Italian Association of Booksellers), underlines the importance of avoiding queues and crowds in store and reduce waiting times in the lead up to Christmas, and promoting the book as the perfect Christmas gift.

The entire Mondadoristore.it offer, with over 1 million titles in the catalogue, as well as music, films, toys, stationery and eReaders, is always available through free multichannel services, along with home delivery: Pick Up Point, to comfortably collect in store products bought online; Prenota e ritira, with which you can order online and collect and pay in the store or at one of the 11,00 post offices around the country, and Invia a casa, to have a product ordered in store deliver straight to you home.  Customers can also take advantage of the new Satispay service, which is already active at more than 150 Mondadori Stores, to safely and securely pay using just your smartphone.

Plus, for the sixth year in a row, Cesvi volonteers will be at participating Mondadori Stores in all of the main Italian cities and towns to gift-wrap customers’ purchases. A successful partnership in support of the Cesvi initiative for the prevention and fight against the maltreatment of children in the cities of Bergamo, Bari and Naples. With a small donation, customers can make a contribution to this important project.

Mondadori Store digital events will also continue with leading players from the world of arts and entertainment who will meet the public in exclusive online events: The Zen Circus on 20 November; Fabrizio Moro in 25 November; and Simon & The Stars on 3 December.

The Mondadori Store Christmas communication campaign, developed by the Canali&C. agency, will be on air on radio, in store, with posters and videowall at points of sale, and online with newsletters, on the  Mondadoristore.it website and the networks social media profiles.