Food, Hospitality, Boating: the most popular topics made in Italy on social media

In 90% of the posts on Made in Italy, in nine different languages in the top ten social channels in the world, we talk about Fashion and Automotive, but the most beloved conversations and trends are those in which we discuss Food, Hospitality and Boating, categories that, although less “present” online, get the favor of surfers, who express mostly positive comments. The first Social Luxury Index, the Observatory on Social Media Conversations related to the brands of Altagamma, the Foundation that brings together the best companies of the High Cultural and Creative Industry ambassadors of Italian style in the world, promoted with Accenture.  According to which, much can still be done to improve the association with the brand “Italy” which, except for Nautical and Design, does not emerge as an integral part of the social storytelling of the different categories, including Food. A universe in which gourmet awards, influential chefs, circular food and tech food generate a lot of attention, understood as innovative experiences aimed at improving the involvement of enthusiasts and the efficiency of food production.

The Observatory has examined the spontaneous conversations inherent in Luxury - Made in Italy on social channels for an entire year: a world, that of social media, which our excellences face with different degrees of maturity. The Social Luxury Index is a synthetic reference parameter to measure the trend of the social strategies of brands from various points of view: geographical presence, the share of voice, sentiment of conversations, involvement of people and any ambassadors.

The ability to create synergies between brands from different sectors is also confirmed on social media as a trump card to achieve engagement: events and transversal and innovative collaborations can have a significant impact online. Milan Fashion Week or Design Week, just to mention two examples, increasingly offer the opportunity for virtuous contaminations on social media, amplified by the participation of artists, influencers and brand ambassadors.

The analysis also highlights growth opportunities in emerging social markets in Asia and the Pacific. Russia and China, for example, represent about 30% of the global luxury market, on the social channels of these geographical areas, there are over 1.5 billion users, active on local platforms such as VK, WeChat and Sina Weibo, in which we can observe a still low level of luxury made in Italy, which is around 28%. There is, therefore, ample room for growth. Brands that can rapidly improve their social strategies in these spaces will gain a significant competitive advantage.

Finally, the analysis of Accenture and Altagamma focuses the attention on the link between luxury brands and the concept of made in Italy: although the heritage of values related to the Bel Paese brand is communicated in many products of the luxury, leveraging directly on social channels on this strength are mostly Nautical (95%) and Interior Design (43%).

“Listening to and analyzing spontaneous social conversations will be a relevant tool to intercept the preferences of the global consumer - explains Stefania Lazzaroni, dg Altagamma - the Social Luxury Index, at its first edition, reveals some opportunities to be seized and the deep differences between different sectors of the high-end such as fashion, design, food. Much can still be done to win over new consumers and Asian consumers in particular”. And according to Alessandro Zanotti, Accenture’s Managing Director, “the ability of brands to communicate on social networks strategically and coherently with market positioning is fundamental and is an element to be taken into particular consideration for premium or luxury companies”.

The challenges of the future? The Asian Wave, the ability of influencers to trigger peaks of social conversations about brands, and the reactivity of the Asian market; experiential technology increasingly appreciated in products; and sustainability, among the most discussed topics. The data that emerged from the report, therefore, outline a scenario within which the opportunities and challenges for Made in Italy luxury are many: the different sectors must identify the priorities that distinguish them to develop appropriate strategies to develop the full potential of Made in Italy in the global context.