Media: Publishing brands

Grazia, the magazine edited by Silvia Grilli, has developed a series of initiatives to support all those women who before, after and during the lockdown have taken on professional and family commitments and now risk being left out of the labour market. And it is to these topics that Grazia has dedicated an extraordinary issue #Facciamocisentire – on newsstands from tomorrow Thursday 21 May – and a campaign launched on social media to ensure that he current health and economic emergency does not undermine women’s rights.

“Let’s be honest: women are not angels. Though this is how we have been figuratively represented and depicted during the lockdown. Angels of the hearth, while we hold the family together, angels in hospitals where we make up 80% of health workers; angels of the supermarket, where we continue to comprise the majority of workers. And whiles these so-called ‘angels’ continued to work outside or at a distance, sacrificing themselves with children, husbands, aging parents, government-appointed task forces – made up only of men – forgot about us.  Because you can’t re-open Italy while keeping the schools closed. You can’t hold back female employment giving to women the role of assistance for the country. We mustn’t let the crisis become an excuse for depriving us of the rights that have been won with such difficulty. Let’s fight to honour our ambitions and liberate our dreams. We mustn’t continue to ask women to give up a part of themselves. From a great crisis it is possible to ensure that a greater awareness is born along with a country where there is more equality between men and women,” declared Silvia Grilli in her editorial.

In the special issue #Facciamocisentire (Let’s Make Ourselves Heard) Grazia has brought together first-hand stories and suggestions from readers on how to create a more equal school system; how to encourage girls and young women who too often withdraw from the competition for fear of making mistakes, how to bring up a female generation that sees power as something positive. And it also tries to understand how to involve Italian men in all this. Because women will win this battle only by convincing everyone that the sharing of duties and power between the sexes will be of benefit to men, women and the good of the country.

This is also what Senator Emma Bonino thinks, and she tells Grazia about how many women during the lockdown had to live with aggressive partners, but only a few asked for help and some lost their lives. The emergency, the Senator tells the magazine, risks silencing rights that were acquired only after years of battles. To avoid this, we need a cultural revolution that also involves and includes men.

International studies confirm that the gender gap in our country is widening. The Minster for Equal Opportunities, Elena Bonetti, explains how we can build a better society starting from the family, school textbooks and the labour market.

Grazia also publishes an account by journalist and writer Annalena Benini, who writes about the way in which the lockdown has unmasked a misapprehension:  women, brought up to be generous, doubled down with home and children. Men, whenever they tried, seemed like heroes. But the disparity between such efforts, the journalist explains, should open our eyes. Because women should now have the courage to present the bill.

In the pages of the special issue #Facciamocisentire there is also the voice of Rose McGowan, one of the first to accuse American film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse. She had to sell everything, including her home, to pay for her lawyers. But the courage of this actress led to a movement that has revolutionised the world. Now she has produced an album of music to help people overcome their fears, including those concerning the pandemic. “Since I put myself out there,” she explained to Grazia, “I have learned that it is during crises that we can reconfigure our existence.”

Another woman who has been much talked about as a result of being the subject of sexist insults is Giovanna Botteri, the RAI correspondent in Beijing. She tells Grazia about her experience among the courageous women of Sarajevo, among small children under bombardment in Baghdad, in the America of Obama and Trump, and in China in the time of coronavirus. And why, as she writes, she prefers to ignore the looks of disapproval and go straight to where life is flowing more energetically.

During the pandemic actress Anna Foglietta rolled up her sleeves, oversaw her three children as the played and did their homework and saved her husband who was working from home for any inconvenience and disturbance. She did it because it came naturally, then she realised how much it was taken for granted that this is what she should do. And in her diary for Grazia she explains how it is only when tasks in the home are shred that a woman can claim to be free to be herself.

Behind the name Claire Fontaine is a couple that loves to be provocative and make us reflect on equality between the sexes. Like when, in Paris, they installed feminist slogans during an important fashion show. Grazia asked them to imagine how artists could change the relationship between men and women. While also the designers featured in the Architecture Biennale 2020 try to imagine the future of homes with and after Covid-19.

The economist Veronica De Romanis explains to Grazia why our country, in order to restart, has desperate need of quotas to put the right women in command.  During the emergency women worked from home, took care of families and suffered the closure of the schools. But were excluded from the decision-making process.

The magazine also spoke to some leading female scientific researchers: “Often we just wait for others to recognise our qualities. But now we want to make ourselves heard,” they say after the inclusion of six female scientists on the government’s emergency coronavirus task force.

In Italy fathers are changing and are more involved than before. But male power remains dominant. Why is that? Psychiatrist Paolo Crepet tells Grazia about a country in which the army is made up of women, but the generals are all men. And explains that if we really had a meritocracy, we would need much more than ‘pink’ quotas.

The special will also go ‘viral’, trought a Digital PR campaign with the hashtag #FacciamociSentire.

Across the world, the pandemic has faced us with a new normal, comprised of social distancing, and new rules to protect ourselves and others. But what will the coming months be like as we await the discovery of a vaccine? Grazia, the magazine edited by Silvia Grilli, tries to offer its readers some answers with the help of a range of authoritative voices.

Starting with two of the world’s leading funders of research, Bill and Melinda Gates, who have donated an unprecedented sum to finding a vaccine against Covid-19 and become a global point of reference. But the couple is looking further ahead, and the philanthropists explain Grazia when we will overcome the emergency and which of the innovations of this period will help to protect us from future epidemics.

But Grazia is also fashion, so the designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana talk about the future that awaits Made in Italy and for which they are ready.

A new vision of the future of our school system comes from Gianmario Verona, economist and Rector of Milan’s Bocconi University who outlines how the pandemic has modernised Italian universities which are now planning the next step forward.

The Mondadori Group magazine has also collected opinions on the future of the arts and cinema. Film director Cristina Comencini tells Grazia that only when we can go back to cinemas, after months of watching films and series on TV, will we understand how much we have missed the big screen, Because, as she explains, sharing stories with others will have a new meaning. Above all if they are stories about how we have been reborn after the pandemic.

Other leading names include Giuseppe Culicchia who, for Grazia, a tomorrow of many unknowns and a certainty: that we will continue to look in books for what we miss in reality, because he is convinced that with the practice we’ve gained from the restrictions it will be as if we are in a maze in which each one of us will have to find our way and accept a new kind of normality.

Also Letizia Muratori says that our experience of home isolation has been like living in an eternal present and as the restrictions are lifted, the writer tells Grazia, we will have to discover how to live in a smaller and more protected reality, in which there will be Perspex panels and looking into the eyes of others will be a different experience.

Behind a world turned upside down and the spread of the coronavirus there is male domination. This is the view of the Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva, who, in order to build a different future, asks for a handover of power: from men, accustomed to the unrestrained exploitation of nature, to a female balance that takes account of every aspect of creation.

This special issue of Grazia also features contributions from the influencer Marta Pozzan, music producer David Guetta, manager Luca Finardi as well as the managers of a number of international schools in Italy who are examining the positive experiences of their sister schools around the world.

Grazia, the leading 100% Italian fashion brand, available around the world in 20 international editions and a voice for style and news, is on the frontline with a series of extraordinary issues that deal with big topics and the #facciamocisentire (#LetsMakeOurselvesHeard) campaign in favour of gender equality in a moment in which it is under threat. In fact, the magazine is strongly supporting the women who during the health and economic crisis are more than eve on the frontline and risk being forgotten, when they really need to be heard.

Grazia, the Mondadori Group magazine edited by Silvia Grilli, is the first Italian title to feature a model on the cover wearing a face mask.  The model Stella Maxwell, well-known for her anti-conformist lifestyle, is the protagonist of a real and highly relevant shot. “Fashion,” says Stella, “has always helped to overcome difficulties and also in this health emergency it can do so again.”

Grazia, Italy’s leading 100% Italian fashion brand, with 20 international editions, and the voice of style and news, in the issue on newsstands from tomorrow has given space to a journalistic investigation and campaign aimed at ensuring that the emergency does not become a pretext for setting aside the freedoms that women have gained. The investigation explores the forced return of women to the home in a period when schools are closed, with interviews with the Minister for Equal Opportunities and the Family, Emma Bonetti, the mayor of Turin, Chiara Appendino, the mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala, the leader of Fratelli d’Italia, Giorgia Meloni, the economist, Paola Profeta, and many others.

In her editorial, Silvia Grilli writes: “Visible in public places, such as hospitals and scientific laboratories, making the sacrifices of researchers, doctors and nurses. Invisible within families as they try to reconcile remote working with the duties of mother, cook, cleaner, carer of elderly relatives and teacher of children working online during school closures. In a fair world, family management would be shared equally between husbands and wives, given that it takes two to make children just as it should take two to put on the washing machine. But we know that a fairer world cannot be realised in two months, it takes years of education to achieve gender equality. From 4 May Italy will gradually reopen, while schools, kindergartens and nurseries will certainly remain closed until September. Consequently, women will remain the only social service available to deal with children and the elderly. But the problem is that nine million Italian women Italian also work outside the home. Many of us wonder how and if we can go back to work. Who will take care of the children left at home? Who will care for the elderly in the family? How many of us will be forced to resign to take on the totalizing role of the housewife?” Silvia Grilli concludes, as she launches a campaign.

Readers can share their experiences with the magazine and Grazia’s social media profiles, as well as making proposals to present to government and politicians to resolve the issues.

The issue on newsstands from tomorrow also addresses the topic of love and sex in a time of coronavirus. The government has decreed that from 4 May it will be possible to visit relatives or ‘kin’, and, apparently this refers also to “stable relationships”. But there is a certain vagueness about the term “stable relationship”, what does the decree really mean? Who decides whether a relationship is stable or not? The lockdown has obliged many of the undecideds and on-off couples to make a choice: fragile links can break, while, on the other hand, more solid ones can become stronger. The magazine has brought together a range of opinions: from the actress Bianca Nappi, to the actor and writer Paolo Stella, as well as the writer Federica Bosco and actress Federica Fracassi.

Plus: what will be the medium and long-term impact on relationships? “History shows us that, after an emergency, we tend to go back to our old habits,” observes the sexologist Gaia Polloni. “But, it’s also true that we are discovering that the online world works. The change could be quite significant.” In fact, Facebook has lost no time in launching Tuned, an app developed especially for couples living remotely.

Following the measures introduced by the prime minister Giuseppe Conte for dealing with the so-called Phase 2, Grazia also examines how we are going to deal with things such holidays, weddings and the reopening of restaurants.

But there is also space for entertainment, with interviews with the actress Cate Blanchett in lockdown, the singers Benji and Fede who are splitting, and Coco Rebecca Edogamhe, protagonist of the original new Italian series on  Netflix, Summertime, based on the book by Federico Moccia.

At a time when television is once again the main source of entertainment for Italian families, as they remain together for long periods during the day, Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni is confirming its role as a point of reference for all lovers of the world of television and show business.

Italy in lockdown has seen a record rise in increasingly younger viewers, tuning in also at previously unimaginable times of the day. There is a boom in generalist TV, but there is also an increase in TV consumption in streaming and updates online, all with social networks as a powerful sharing tool.

In this scenario Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni is seeing record-level growth in its online audience and expanding its offer, confirming its role as a brand uniquely able to maintain a privileged relationship with the personalities from the world of show business and its ability to create opportunities for interaction for its readers and digital fans.

“I am delighted with the results that Sorrisi, thanks to the efforts of the entire staff and digital team, is achieving,” declared Aldo Vitali, the magazine’s editor. “The current situation of social distancing has helped to make us even more dynamic, with an even greater determination to be close to our readers, users and the artistes of the world of television and show business. A renewed demonstration of the strength of our DNA; that of an authoritative brand continuously up to speed with the interests of its readers thanks to exclusive proposals available across a range of channels, from the print magazine to social networks”, Vitali concluded.

A number of initiatives have been developed by the Mondadori Group brand, starting from those on social networks:

#AcasaconSorrisi: two daily appointments on Instagram and Facebook in which the editor, Aldo Vitali, offers a brief guide to the day’s schedules, but above all brings the protagonists of the current issue into the homes of Italians with a live show on Instagram, every day at 4 pm, uncovering the more human and authentic side of celebrities. Guests of the Levante format have included, Francesco Gabbani, Francesca Michielin and J-Ax appearing exclusively for Sorrisi as well as Elettra Lamborghini, Carlo Conti, Vanessa Incontrada, and Stefano De Martino, Benedetta Parodi, Luca Argentero, Nicola Savino and a rich and continuously evolving schedule. These live celebrity slots have each generated up to 100,000 views.

But there are also ne features on the web and in the magazine: from 21 April, with Guida allo Streaming TV, Sorrisi will create every month a special insert for the magazine entirely dedicated to the TV offer in streaming. The insert will focus on what’s new from the major players: cinema, TV series, original content, documentaries, animated films. And to mark the occasion, the web site www.sorrisi.com, will introduce a new section dedicated to the offer in streaming.

In may it will be the turn of Guida ai Film, a special issue dedicated to film fans, a compass to find your way through the increasingly rich offer on all platforms, both free and paid, rental and paid digital downloads, from new releases to the most watched titles, with a vast range of information and suggestions from the editorial team.

Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni is a brand that can remain close to its users at all times and across all available channels: something that is confirmed by the results in terms of audience. In the last week of March, the web site www.sorrisi.com recorded a 70% rise in the daily number of unique users compared to an average day in January and February (Source: Audiweb Daily).

And also www.filmtv.it, an integral part of the Entertainment offer, saw an increase of 56% compared with last year.

There were also excellent result on social networks where, in the month of March, Sorrisi content reached over 7.5 million people.

At this difficult time the Mondadori Group brands are keeping close to their readers, users and their families with initiatives across all media. The aim is to help. Support and offer moments of relaxation, by involving the public, above all on social networks, in activities related to their passions.

In particular, there are three ways in which the Group has put together initiatives to be closer and to help people in this period of emergency: free access to premium content, a schedule of simultaneous live events on social networks and the active involvement of users through the brands’ communities.

Free premium content

In order to keep up to date the magazines of the Mondadori Group is offering readers free digital subscriptions for a period of three months.

It is possible to subscribe for digital access to your favourite magazines here, choosing from some of the leading magazines in a range of segments, including: Grazia, Donna Moderna, Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni, Chi, Focus, Focus Junior, Giallozafferano, CasaFacile, Icon, Icon Design, Interni and many more.

Plus, from Sunday it will be possible to download for free with a click the latest special issue of Grazia, “We will embrace again” from this link. In just two days, this initiative has already reached more than 30,000 people.

Live simultaneous events on the social media channels of the leading brands

Every day a live cooking demonstration with GialloZafferano, in collaboration with NostroFiglio and Focus Junior. By connecting to the brands’ Instagram, Facebook r YouTube channels, at 5 pm, users can enjoy #IoRestoACasaECucino and learn live, from the chefs of Giallo, how to put together easy meals for the whole family, and also involving kids in the preparation.

This daily appointment was preceded on Saturday 21 March by a great live event on social media #ACenaConGialloZafferano which engaged Italians in the preparation of the weekend dinner. The event, which took place simultaneously on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, attracted over 200,000 people, who received tips and advice from the chefs of GialloZafferano, a number of foodbloggers from across Italy, as well as award-winning chef Alessandro Negrini.

The, of course, we couldn’t forget the live training sessions by MyPersonalTrainer, which every day propose half an hour of activities on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube with a series of thematic paths: physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, dietary wellbeing.

Special attention is also reserved for small children: NostroFiglio offers a rich weekly programme of live events on Facebook with doctors and pedagogues, with musical games, mini-shows and baby dance in collaboration with Kikolle Lab and a range of fun tasks to invent together with your children.

But we also need to relax, and so TV Sorrisi e Canzoni is offering its users the #ACasaConSorrisi initiative, two daily appointments live on Instagram and Facebook in which the editor Aldo Vitali enters the homes of the personalities featured in the current issue of the magazine and famous faces from TV. The first live events, which attracted many users, featured Vanessa Incontrada, Baby-K, Amadeus and will continue every day at 4 pm and 6 pm.

Also the magazine Chi, edited by Alfonso Signorini, is entertaining its users every day at 7 pm, double live interviews live, in which a number of VIPs talk exclusively on Instagram to #ChiRestaACasa.

An unmissable appointment for all fans to get an up-close look at the world of celebrities who every week enliven the pages of their favourite magazine. And on Chi’s IGTV users can also find the interviews conducted so far with Alessia Marcuzzi, Giulia Salemi and Carlo Conti.

User participation through the brands social communities

#TorneremoAdAbbracciarci. Grazia launched its initiative #TorneremoAdAbbracciarci on Instagram.

Users are invited to post a photo of an embrace, a gesture of affection that we all took for granted and has now become a precious good. A way of communicating that we are united and that together we can make it through to which many celebrities and ordinary people have contributed.

#Andrà’TuttoBene with Nostrofiglio. The portal form mums and dads 2.0, joined from the beginning and helped to spread the children and rainbows initiative “Andrà tutto bene” (All will be well) and received over 12,000 online contributions with drawings of rainbows attached to the balconies on Italian homes (see the gallery on Facebook).

#IoCucinoConGiallo and #IoRestoaCasa. A collective cooking initiative, for and with your loved ones, even if they are far away, with recipes from GialloZafferano, photographing the results and sharing them with GialloZafferano and its community. In just a few days 4,000 people had already contributed (see the gallery on Facebook).

#DonnaModernaRestaConMe and #IoRestoaCasa. The weekly Donna Moderna uses Instagram to describe the making of the magazine with remote working and invites readers to talk about how the magazine is keeping them company in these days: a recipe, an inspiration, a particular story. A call to action to readers to talk about how Donna Moderna is helping them through these weeks (see the gallery on Instagram).

#StayCoolStayHome with DM Beauty. Also in this period, young women want to look after themselves. This is possible with DM Beauty, the social beauty magazine, conceived and created by millennials for millennials.  Every day a post with tips to make you feel cool even when you stay at home.

#IoStudioaCasa with Studenti.it. Amazing support for high school kids is provided by Studenti.it, which offers them teaching materials for all needs. On the StudentiTV channel on YouTube kids can access hundreds of video lessons while on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts they can find online new audio podcast lessons Te lo spiega Studenti.it: snippets on Italian, history and literature, as well as the high school diploma exam.

The results of all of these initiatives show how people, constrained by the current situation, are turning to the media, especially online, and appreciating what the brands of the Mondadori Group are offering them.

In fact, on Sunday 22 March saw an all-time record online audience for a combination of the Group’s brands with a total of over 13 million visits to the web sites in a single day an increase of over +100% compared with last year (Source: Google Analytics).

An important contribution was made by Giallozafferano which on Sunday 22 March cooked along with almost 6 million Italians (+240% vs 2019).

To this should also be added similarly exceptional results on social media.

Also on Sunday 22 March, the combination of the brands’ social media channels recorded an overall reach of over 17 million people and the number of fans is growing by an average of over 40,000 users per day al giorno.