Media: Publishing brands

From Tuesday to Saturday, 6–10 February, Marlù Webboh Vibes will take place during the Sanremo Festival. This true novelty involves a happening show with 20 hours of pure entertainment set on a truck transformer in the Festival Village, located in the Villa Ormond Park in Sanremo.

Webboh — a Mondadori Media brand and the first Italian community dedicated to Gen Z — and Marlù — the jewellery brand developed through the creative initiative and partnership of sisters Morena, Monica and Marta Fabbri — will animate the stage from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. during the five days of the Festival, with talks and live shows featuring singers from the Sanremo competition, young musical talents, creators and the most popular TikTokers of the moment.

In addition to real-time social media commentary, a special website and organic amplification by the creators, the event will also be streamed live to capture the highlights and engage home audiences.

The show will unfold in three specific moments. The first is a salon hosted by Jody Cecchetto and the two faces of Webboh — Arianna Madonna and Claudia Mariani — who will host the singers competing at the Sanremo Festival. The second is a Talky Time dedicated to fun Sanremo-themed games and challenges, but also to serious current social issues, in the company of ACapoDelGlobo, Ramon Agnelli, Arienne Makeup, Giulia Bellu, Diletta Begali and Ella’s Books and the Opposite, all creators and talent from the Power Talent Agency roster. Finally, the third is ‘Unplugged – Spazio al talento’, a real showcase for established and emerging singers, presented by Andrea Prada.

Expressing the words of artists and singers who can make a difference, the stage at Marlù Webboh Vibes will be tinted every day with a colour symbolising the topic being addressed: environmental protection (GREEN), eating disorders (PURPLE), discrimination of LGBTQ+ people (PINK), animal protection (RED) and bullying (BLUE).

On Wednesday 7 February, to commemorate the International Day Against Violence and Bullying, the results of a survey conducted by Webboh Lab will be presented directly from the stage of Marlù Webboh Vibes, delving into the causes and effects of a social phenomenon that seriously affects young people today. The National Centre Against Bullying Bulli Stop, which already works with Webboh, will take part in ‘Talky Time’.

The commitment of Webboh and Marlù to such topics does not end there. As part of the initiative ‘Le parole possono fare la differenza’ (‘Words can make a difference’), the singers and guests being interviewed will be asked to leave a meaningful sentence or word. For their contribution, Jody Cecchetto will present the ‘Marlù per il sociale’ (‘Marlù for Social’) award. On Saturday 10 February, the last day of the event, Lorenz Simonetti (a creator and young singer-songwriter famous on social networks) will present the song ‘La Canzone di tutti’, which sets to music the most meaningful words expressed not only by the artists, but also by the public.

The collaboration between Webboh and Marlù — realised thanks to Brand On Solutions, a unit dedicated to special initiatives by Mediamond, the Mondadori and Mediaset advertising company — is a true integrated partnership. From naming of the event to the creative concept, to the coordinated image across communication platforms, to the amplification of Webboh on social media and the creators involved, the aim is to reach and raise awareness among the broadest Gen–Z audience possible with exclusive, specifically developed value-based content.

To maximise communication in promoting Marlù Webboh Vibes, Mondadori Media has involved social media, the Webboh brand website and the Mondadori Media network, as well as the creators and talent of Power Talent Agency. It has also overseen coverage in the country in collaboration with the Festival Village, sponsored by the City of Sanremo, both within the Village and on maxi-screens positioned in strategic squares of the city.

Entrance to the Festival Village is free of charge. Registration at https://www.ilvillaggiodelfestival.it/registrati/ is recommended.

Webboh is the social media platform for Gen Z. Created in April 2019, it has been part of Mondadori Media since February 2023. It currently has a fan base of 4 million followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, 70% of whom are under 24. The website receives 3.7 million unique users per month (source: Audicom, November 2023). It is one of the top ten most influential Italian social media companies, as well as the first targeting Generation Z for engagement and video views (source: Top Italian Prime Communication Media Rankings by Sensemakers). The topicality, authenticity and interest generated by the content is guaranteed by its bottom-up editorial model: the community is involved in every part of the creative process.

Marlù was founded in 2001, growing out of an innovative entrepreneurial and creative idea by sisters Morena, Monica and Marta Fabbri. In just a few years, it conquered the leadership of an unexplored product category — in terms of price range and material — outside the traditional fashion and fine jewellery sectors. It presents a new way of thinking and creating fashion accessories and offering exclusive creations and products to anyone wishing to wear something unique and personal. Marlù’s strong presence in Italy has developed into a network of proprietary retail shops through single-brand stores in Riccione, Naples, Catania, Bari, Molfetta, Caserta, Trapani, Matera, Rome, Florence, Rimini, Bologna, Verona, Parma Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Palermo and Milan. Today, the Marlù group has more than 400 employees, a distribution network of nearly 50 single-brand shops and more than 1400 multi-brand shops including corners and spaces

Travel Kids – Italy in Intercity with Focus Junior is the new podcast channel designed for children (6–12 years old) and parents travelling. Created in collaboration with Trenitalia – the parent company of the FS Group’s Passenger Hub – its 100+ podcasts will accompany families on an incredible step-by-step story across Italy and the Islands: odd stories, amusing anecdotes about places, characters, objects, science, nature, animals and much more.

Podcasts are a winning tool to disseminate culture and entertainment: people listen to them to learn, study and laugh. In Italy, every month 12 million people listen to podcasts (Ipsos research), with numbers steadily increasing year after year, especially in the younger age groups. Focus Junior, the leading brand in the kids’ sector, and Loquis, the first platform for listening to and narrating the world via geolocalised podcasts, will take the young passengers of Intercity, the Trenitalia Business management company headed by Luigi Corradi, and their families on a journey to discover the many wonders of Italy: from the incredible story of Ciro, the baby dinosaur preserved at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Milan, to the reason why the Tower of Pisa leans, along with stories of pirates and witches in Liguria, to the mystery of the Riace Bronzes in Calabria.

“Italy is the real Wonderland, where every place has curious stories just waiting to be told”, said Sarah Pozzoli, Focus Junior Director. “Thanks to this initiative, created in collaboration with Loquis and Trenitalia, Focus Junior has been able to narrate the history and beauty of Italy through podcasts designed specifically for children and young people, with a light but authoritative tone and a rigorous eye for content. Travel Kids is in line with our mission “to entertain while discovering the world”, in this case our peninsula, a true treasure rich in history, culture and biodiversity”.

Focus Junior and Loquis will stimulate the imagination and curiosity of young people with relaxing and educational content, using simple and entertaining language suitable for the whole family. The narrators for this project will be Andrea Lucchetta, former Italian national volleyball team player, and Creator Alessio Bourcet aka Pika Palindromo.

“Loquis is a very special kind of navigator: instead of providing directions, it tells us about the places we visit”, said Bruno Pellegrini, CEO of Loquis. “We created it because we are convinced that knowledge of the world and its locations is as necessary as ever in this time when people are withdrawing into virtual worlds. This is why we are very happy to create a project dedicated to the youngsters, creating educational entertainment, which is one of the social aims of Loquis, where the smartphone is just a tool for listening to stories dedicated to the beauty of our cities, leaving the eyes free to enjoy them”.

For Domenico Scida, Trenitalia’s Intercity Business Director, “This is an initiative designed for families and children who can travel by Intercity and share moments of leisure and culture”. “We are happy”, added Scida, “to start an important collaboration with Loquis and Focus Junior, to accompany and entertain all children travelling on our trains, with an increasingly customised service, recounting curiosities and anecdotes about Italian cities, from North to South, in a fun and dynamic way”.

The first 50 podcasts are already available on the Milan-Lecce, Taranto-Reggio Calabria and Milan-Ventimiglia routes. 100 podcasts are expected by mid-January 2024, on all parts of Trenitalia’s Intercity network.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will be participating in National Space Day celebrations with a series of initiatives to promote research and the Italian space industry. The event is organized by the diplomatic-consular network, Italian Cultural Institutes and Italian Trade Agency Offices.

‘The strong support for Italian National Space Day reflects the priority given to space diplomacy, which is an integral part of our foreign and security policies and a tool for internationalising businesses,’ says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani. He reiterates that ‘by reinforcing the network of Space and Science Attachés working at embassies and consulates, [the Ministry] supports companies in seizing opportunities related to the new space economy to encourage investment.’

’This year’s edition,’ adds the Deputy, ‘is particularly significant in view of the International Astronautical Congress, which will be hosted by Italy in Milan in October 2024. This is why we wanted to launch “The Italian Spaceway” project, an exhibition on Italian space research and industry that will travel the world from now until late 2024.’

‘The Italian Spaceway’ is produced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the IAC 2024 Milan Organising Committee and curated by Focus, the science communication brand of the Mondadori Group. It recounts the contribution of Italian research and Made in Italy products in the development of space technologies, with a focus on sustainability. The exhibition presents an engaging and interactive experience to stimulate reflection on the need to protect space and preserve its sustainability in order to protect planet Earth.

Italy is a leading country in the space sector and among the first in the world in terms of activities and research: €7 billion of public investment in the 2021–2026 period, €2 billion in turnover, 300 companies, 12 districts and 6,000 employees.

When asked about the causes of violent behaviour against women, 83% of young Italian women believe that the main reason is the cultural environment in which they live every day.

Webboh Lab put forward an instant survey for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to which 8,000 girls and women between the ages of 12 and 20 responded. 71% of today’s teenage girls, who will be tomorrow’s adults, blame the culture of male dominance and sexist mentality for violence against women.

According to the young girls and women questioned, the cause due to “behaviour” is entirely marginal: violence, for them, does not stem from stressful states or psychological problems, but from a society that has normalised the position and social power of men, role expectations, and attitudes exalting strength for too long, without any self-criticism, looking for the cause in the ‘monster’, in order to take away responsibility.

The research shows that, in the perception of girls, there are at least five profiles of violent men: the self-absolvers (43%), i.e. those who continually justify their violent behaviour, reflecting a culture that perpetuates it; the medievalists (19%), who are linked to entrenched gender roles and family dynamics; the amplifiers of violence (17%), who experience aggression as an echo of bad media reports about the violence in the world around them and the impact on society; the underpressured (12%), represented by those who struggle with personal stress and family pressure; the de-empowered (9%), who blame power and gender role imbalances for their violence.

The identification of complex and different profiles of violent men makes it clear that multiple measures acting on different levels are needed. Solutions proposed by different experts that emerged from the interviews – from affective education to psychological counselling, from awareness-raising activities to the adoption of more restrictive measures when the first signs of aggression appear – must be applied in a targeted manner for each behavioural profile and for the individual subject.

Webboh Lab, created from the meeting between Webboh (3 million followers on social media) with the research institute Sylla, with Chief Science Officer, Professor Furio Camillo, is the first Permanent Observatory on Gen Z. Webboh Lab’s commitment is to gather the voice of the younger generation, to investigate and explore the issues in order to bring them to the table of those who make decisions for them, the adults of tomorrow.

Through its brands aimed at Gen Z, Webboh and The Wom, Mondadori Media delivered a range of activities and content aimed at raising awareness and understanding the views of young people on the issue of gender-based violence on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November).

Webboh Lab, the first permanent observatory dedicated to Gen Z, conducted an instant survey on the topic of violence against women: the 8,000 answers from girls and women aged between 12 and 20 showed that 83% of young Italian girls, when questioned on the causes of gender-based violent behaviour, believe that the main reason is the cultural environment in which they live every day.

The research shows that girls and young women think there are at least five profiles of violent men: the self-absolvers (43%), i.e. those who continually justify their violent behaviour, reflecting a culture that perpetuates it; the medievalists (19%), who are linked to entrenched gender roles and family dynamics; the amplifiers of violence (17%), who experience aggression as an echo of bad media reports about the violence in the world around them and the impact on society; the underpressured (12%), represented by those who struggle with personal stress and family pressure; the de-empowered (9%), who blame power and gender role imbalances for their violence.

For the event, the two publishing brands aimed at Gen Z have published a schedule full of social media and web content to raise awareness about gender-based violence, offering useful tools both from a practical point of view, such as emergency numbers, and a cultural point of view to help prevent and fight the phenomenon, involving the younger generations.

Specifically, The Wom, the 100% inclusive brand created with the aim of raising awareness and supporting change and which offers articles, videos and in-depth reports on a daily basis both on its website and social profiles, has delivered a dedicated publication, informative content, poems, events and calls to action, and an illustrated Instagram carousel inspired by the true stories of women and their fears that has encouraged more than 2.000 people to tell their stories publicly, garnering over 130,000 likes.

Together with Sorgenia, awareness-raising content was produced, consisting of small tips on what to do if you find yourself with a person you suspect may be a victim of violence. The project, connected to Sorgenia’s #sempre25novembre campaign, aims to keep attention focused on this social emergency every day of the year and not just on the 25th of November.

The Wom also published content in partnership with DONNEXSTRADA with the “La violenza non è solo fisica ma… (Violence is not only physical, but…)” campaign, with the aim of illustrating different types of violence, both psychological and physical. The initiative was a great success among its followers, also thanks to video interviews with 3 activists from the Association who presented topics such as gender-based violence, how to protect oneself against aggression and psychological violence, and how victims of violence can be helped.

Webboh specifically chose to highlight the anti-violence and anti-stalking number 1522, by posting on its Instagram Stories – every day for a week at 3.22 pm – the message: “Quando ne hai bisogno, chiama: è importante (When you need it, call: it’s important)”. It also spread the Italian State Police Guide that can help people recognise a toxic relationship. The motto chosen by Webboh to raise awareness, “This is not love”, has been echoed by its followers, with more than 150,000 likes and the post being saved more than 5,000 times.

The Wom and Webboh support DONNEXSTRADA, the non-profit association that offers help to victims of violence, promotes change in society, provides legal and psychological support to victims, works for prevention and has created a network of 150 Punti Viola – safe places for women to ask for help – throughout Italy.

We thank the DONNEXSTRADA group.

Webboh is the flagship media 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 Monthly Average 2023). It is in the top ten most influential Italian media companies on social media, as well as the first targeting Generation Z for engagement and video views (source: Italian Top Media Rankings for 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.

The Wom is the new all-digital, social media first brand dedicated to Millennials and Generation Z, who consider uniqueness a strength and a value that enriches themselves and others. The Wom is the flagship for the younger generation on TikTok and Instagram, with a total fanbase of 9 million followers and 9 million unique users on the Internet (Audiweb Total Digital Audience monthly average 2023)

Webboh Lab, created from a meeting between Webboh (3 million followers on social media) with the research institute Sylla, with Chief Science Officer Professor Furio Camillo, is the first Permanent Observatory on Gen Z. Webboh Lab is committed to gathering the voice of the younger generation, to investigate and explore the issues in order to bring them to the table of those who make decisions for them, the adults of tomorrow.

Mondadori Media, the leading Italian multimedia publisher on social media and in the digital area, has exclusively entrusted Piemme, a concessionaire of the Caltagirone Group, with the sale of advertising spaces in Italy  in magazines, digital channels, social networks, apps and event sponsorships for the educational brands Focus, Focus Junior, Focus Pico, Focus Storia, Focus Scuola and Focus Wild.

“Piemme is the ideal partner to raise awareness about some of our brands, thanks to its important network of investors in strategic sectors for our Science area and its widespread presence in the territory”, said Carlo Mandelli, Mondadori Media CEO. “The collaboration, which started in January 2023 with Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni and Chi, is generating excellent results. The extension to the Focus system brands strengthens the path of diversifying business activities undertaken by Mondadori Media and the strategy of repositioning our product portfolio”, Mandelli concluded.

The agreement is part of a process, which began with the brands Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni, Chi, Guida Tv and Telepiù, of progressively expanding a strategic partnership that has proved successful thanks to the combination of the publisher’s leading position, on the one hand, and the expertise of the concessionaire, on the other.

“The exclusive partnership with Mondadori Media represents a significant step for Piemme in its strategy of expanding and strengthening its media platform, which is able to offer an increasingly excellent level of opportunities across print, digital, radio, TV and local events. The opportunity to manage the collection for these famous brands is a great responsibility for us: as well as being an iconic brand, Focus is one of the main standards for science and technology popularisation in Italy, with a huge fanbase that makes it well-known among the public”, declared Walter Bonanno, CEO of Piemme S.p.A. “We are thrilled to once again receive the trust of a leading and discerning publisher like Mondadori Media. We are confident that this innovation will further strengthen our collaboration and enable us to realise innovative projects that satisfy our customers and enhance the strength and diversity of the Focus brand on different platforms and channels”, said Bonanno.

Focus, in its different forms, is the brand leader in the popularisation sector in Italy with a fanbase of over 6 million users (social media accounts + Focus creators), more than 3 million unique users (source: Shareablee, 2022), a monthly circulation of over 136,000 copies (source: Ads, January – August 2023) and more than 3.3 million readers each month (source: Audipress 2023/2). Focus, Italy’s most widely read magazine, edited by Raffaele Leone, has been the standard for all science enthusiasts and the curious for more than 30 years: from technology to sustainability, from robotics to medicine, from AI research to space missions and nature. It has a unique editorial system divided into various subject areas and different channels, including magazines, websites, social accounts, video talks and podcasts. It also has a television channel, an exclusive academy for students interested in science journalism and, finally, a major event focusing on popularising science that completes the editorial offer: Focus Live.

Mondadori Media

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 to the passions of the Italian people – food, beauty, fashion, health and wellness , science and tech – and reaches more than 26 million unique users every month (source: Audiweb January-August 2023), with an overall fanbase of 100 million people (source: Comscore Shareablee + Pinterest Insight October 2023).

Piemme

It has six of the most important newspapers (Il Messaggero, Il Mattino, Il Gazzettino, Corriere Adriatico, Nuovo Quotidiano di Puglia and Leggo), websites (online platforms for the respective newspapers and licensed third-party sites: Aranzulla.it, Centro Meteo Italiano, Funweek.it), magazines (Molto, Mondadori and Gruppo Editoriale San Paolo), and TV (Telenova). Piemme also manages local advertising on Radio Subasio and on RCS media in its own areas. Piemme designs projects tailored to customer needs, creating multimedia campaigns that seamlessly integrate print and digital, radio and TV.

AdKaora, the Mondadori Group’s digital agency specialising in user-centric mobile advertising and proximity marketing, has been recognised by Google as a Google Certified Publishing Partner (GCPP), an important certification that strengthens the partnership between the two companies, underlines the development of an increasingly solid expertise in favour of the market and the knowledge of Google’s main online advertising products.

The AdKaora Value Network team has, in fact, been committed over the years to provide publishers with a technological and strategic consulting service, to maintain the highest results and market standards when it comes to advertising KPIs such as brand safety and viewability, and to meet and exceed the expectations of the clients in managing their advertising sales.

Publishers today face increasingly complex challenges due to changing user habits towards media and the emergence of new regulations to keep up with. At the same time, there is a growing demand for high-quality advertising experiences and especially for impactful video formats.

AdKaora, therefore, is recognised as one of the first partners in Italy skilled in the use of Google’s entire suite of advanced tools, which, combined with its proprietary technology, make it possible to amplify advertising revenues and unlock new avenues for growth, even abroad.

In addition, AdKaora’s Value Network has now crossed the Italian borders and started its international expansion thanks to Adgage, a Spanish company recently acquired by Mondadori Group, that is already working with top tier publishers in the Spanish, Portuguese and LATAM markets. The strategy for the future is to bring the footprint of AdKaora’s products and services to many other countries worldwide.

For AdKaora, being a GCPP means:

– having a privileged channel with Google and defining an integrated workflow with Google’s technological solutions for publishers

– creating an additional level of trust between customers and partners, as the evaluation process to obtain certification was careful and scrupulous

– allowing publishers to focus on what they love doing most: creating great content.

The certification is further proof of AdKaora’s ability to maximise advertising revenue, implement innovative, next-generation formats including in AMP, and deliver international brands’ premium campaigns on publishers’ web properties, all while providing advanced advertising trend analysis.

Davide Tran, CEO AdKaora comments: “We are proud to be recognised as a Google Certified Publishing Partner: this distinguishes us within the market and confirms our commitment to supporting and developing innovative solutions and quality services for clients and publishers. Thanks to the unique combination of our proprietary technologies, state-of-the-art formats, Value Network and sales teams, we help publishers to reach an ever higher level in their monetisation strategies. For the future, we are determined to further improve our performance and become not only an important but an essential partner for our customers, helping them to effectively grow their advertising revenues.”

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.