L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano U n i v e r s a l l y known as the world capital o f c i n e m a , Los Angeles is actually at the forefront of innovation and research in t h e a e r o n a u t i c s , a e r o s p a c e a n d biomedical fields, too. In recent years, the Southern Californian city has, in fact, been able to merge digital innovation and marketing, g i v i n g l i f e t o a n e w technological hub, better known as "Silicon Beach." T h i s h i g h - p o t e n t i a l market has seen the demand for Made in Italy grow, so n e w o p p o r t u n i t i e s h a v e opened up for the Belpaese. Italian expertise -- especially that of academic research, b u s i n e s s m a n a g e m e n t , P u b l i c I n s t i t u t i o n s a n d talents – has relevance in all fields, which makes it useful a l s o w h e n i t c o m e s t o introduce new exports in t h i s s p e c i f i c m a r k e t , especially from small and m e d i u m - s i z e d I t a l i a n enterprises (SMEs). F o r t h i s r e a s o n , t h e C o n s u l a t e G e n e r a l , i n collaboration with all the Institutions of the Sistema Italia in Los Angeles, such as t h e I C E A g e n c y , t h e National Tourist Board, t h e C h a m b e r o f Commerce and the IIC- I t a l i a n C u l t u r a l I n s t i t u t e , presented the webinar Digital tools for internationalization: the Italian experience in Los Angeles. S i l v i a C h i a v e , t h e C o n s u l G e n e r a l o f I t a l y , o p e n e d t h e o n l i n e e v e n t , w h i c h d e s c r i b e d t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f I t a l i a n e - commerce platforms (Italist and Sogno Toscano), social media marketing agencies and business accelerators working in the area, along w i t h t h a t o f i n f l u e n c e r marketing experts, Pinterest a n d V e r i z o n M e d i a m a n a g e r s a n d w e b consultants. M o d e r a t e d b y S e b a s t i a n o A r m e l i , an Italian engineer at PayPal w i t h w o r k e x p e r i e n c e a t Spotify and Snapchat, the w e b i n a r g a v e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o v a r i o u s Italian companies to discuss t h e p r o g r e s s t o w a r d s digitization made in the last year, a feat driven in part by h o w , b e c a u s e o f t h e pandemic, many businesses made the decision to move online. "Trends tell us that Italian digital exports continue to grow: this year they rose of + 14%, bringing home an increase of one billion and 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 e u r o ( a r o u n d 8 5 0 , 0 0 0 U S D ) . T h e p a n d e m i c h a s c e r t a i n l y c h a n g e d c o n s u m p t i o n p a t t e r n s a n d a l s o accelerated the process of Italian companies towards technological development." Alessandra Rainaldi, director of the ICE Office in Los Angeles, which offers g u i d a n c e a n d s u p p o r t t o I t a l i a n c o m p a n i e s i n L A , explains: "This process is still in progress. Half of the companies only make about 2 0 % o f t h e i r t u r n o v e r towards export using digital platforms. Our strategy was established on these trends b a c k i n 2 0 1 5 , w h e n w e started with the first funds allotted to the digitization of b u s i n e s s e s . " R a i n a l d i continues, underlining the three points on which the ICE Office focuses: "First of a l l , t h e c u l t u r e o f I t a l i a n companies on digitalization must be changed; secondly, i t i s n e c e s s a r y t o c r e a t e partnerships with the main market places and digital p l a t f o r m s t o g i v e I t a l i a n companies the opportunity to be on online platforms at advantageous conditions. The third aspect is investing in digital promotion." A s t h e o n l y v o i c e f r o m Italy, Maria Elena Rossi, Marketing Director of the N a t i o n a l T o u r i s t B o a r d , spoke about the future of t o u r i s m a n d h o w d i g i t a l platforms have helped the field during the pandemic. "Tourism is consumed 'on location' but, at this stage, many operators have used virtual experiences. Yet, it is equally true that there is nothing like experiencing a place 'on location.' However, we are realizing that digital tourism is here to stay: the d i g i t a l e x p e r i e n c e c a n p r e c e d e , i n s p i r e a n d accompany the stay." The National Tourist Board has aimed at promoting Italy on s o c i a l m e d i a t o k e e p Americans interested in our country. "We want to evoke the beauty of Italy, with a positioning that brings value to our heritage and that is d i r e c t e d t o a d e m a n d i n g market segment, the first that'll travel and come to Italy again. We started last y e a r w i t h a m a r k e t i n g intelligence infrastructure, which allowed us to acquire p l a t f o r m s t o h e l p I t a l y ' s reputation, and to read data about people searching for holiday destinations online, and for Italy in particular." T h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e Western Italian Chamber of C o m m e r c e , N i c o l a Cagliata, a resident of Los A n g e l e s s i n c e 1 9 8 6 , a l s o t o o k t h e f l o o r . W i t h 8 1 Chambers worldwide and 2 0 , 0 0 0 a s s o c i a t e s , t h e C h a m b e r s o f C o m m e r c e have a direct relationship w i t h b u s i n e s s e s : " T h e pandemic has forced us to s p e e d u p t h e p a c e o f digitization; we converted our initiatives into digital f o r m a t a n d e v e r y t h i n g moved online. Among these, t h e m o s t s u c c e s s f u l w a s T r u e I t a l i a n T a s t e , a c a m p a i g n t h a t p r o m o t e s authentic Italian products. W i t h t r a d e s h o w s a n d m a s t e r c l a s s e s , w e t e a c h buyers here in the United States to distinguish a real Italian product from a fake one. This is a government c a m p a i g n t h a t h a s b e e n going on since 2016." T h e C h a m b e r o f Commerce is also about to activate a platform called P i a z z a I t a l i a M a r k e t P l a c e , w h i c h w i l l b e available from May 2021, in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h t h e Chambers of Commerce of U S A a n d M e x i c o . T h e platform will offer a digital showroom and catalogue, as w e l l a s o t h e r e v e n t s , a l l strictly digital. "This will close the gap, it'll allow us to b e m o r e c o m p e t i t i v e a n d give Italian companies the o p p o r t u n i t y t o s h o w themselves on the American market in an innovative way. Another platform ready to b e l a u n c h e d i s E x p o r t P l a n n i n g , w h i c h w a s developed with a team of economists to support small a n d m e d i u m - s i z e d enterprises: it will allow to e v a l u a t e t h e c o m p a n y ' s readiness to enter foreign m a r k e t s , t o s e l e c t t h e markets with the greatest potential, to analyze them, develop an entry strategy and create a plan." I n o c c a s i o n o f t h e w e b i n a r , t h e C o n s u l a t e General and the institutions of the Sistema Italia also i n a u g u r a t e d t h e D i g i t a l O b s e r v a t o r y f o r Internationalization, a s p a c e w i t h i n t h e i n s t i t u t i o n a l s i t e o f t h e C o n s u l a t e d e s i g n e d f o r I t a l i a n S M E s , w h e r e a c a d e m i c r e s e a r c h , interviews, industry notes, s u c c e s s c a s e s a n d p u b l i c initiatives will converge. A collection of webinars and material on the subject, and o f w h a t c a n b e u s e f u l f o r promoting Italian Digital E x p o r t i n t h e c o n s u l a r district which, in addition to S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a , includes Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. Demand for Made in Italy products has grown: is Italy ready to branch out through digital communications? (Photo: Tomas Griger/Dreamstime) The digital process of Italian companies aiming at the USA SILVIA GIUDICI LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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