From Camihawke to theShow: interview with Helio Di Nardo

From the web to books, film and theatre: many influencers are moving from producing content for their fanbase to products for the general public. How do you see this new phenomenon?

It is a very interesting and intelligent phenomenon, if sensible. Ininfluencer marketing there is a lot of talk about conversion: brands want numbers but, then, when you make a call to action, one of the most important measurements is how deep you get with your messages.

I think strategy is key. Let’s take The Pozzolis Family: in the beginning they were two actors who had worked in some TV shows and wrote their own shows, theatre or cabaret. Thinking about publishing and theatre was simple and natural, but we did not do everything at the same time. First, we allowed them to find their own language and what they wanted to tell on the web. Then, when they had established their own fanbase, we felt it was time to publish a book: it was a big success. The following year we thought about test dates in the theatre: all sold out. It was slow work, but very focused and precise, which gave real feedback.

Then, it is important to see how one moves from the web to other things: it must be a sensible move, part of a strategic process. One should not publish a biography because one has nothing to sell: it becomes like selling any other product. Sofia Viscardi’s novel was also part of a process. After the book was published, we were invaded by young girls on the book tour. In the months that followed, it also reached parents: a crazy result for a novel dedicated to teenagers. The novel baptised Sofia as a true intergenerational translator: she talks to teenagers about topics that adults cannot explain and tells parents about their children’s world.

Sofia has a target audience that she has also managed to expand with her book. Do the Pozzolis, on the other hand, manage through theatre to involve people outside their fanbase or is it a more difficult mechanism? And with the cinema?

With publishing it is easier because there is exposure in bookshops, whereas cinema is the most difficult medium of all: it already fails in itself to involve, bringing something born on the web to cinema is even more complicated. Theatre is a middle way, but still difficult. In metropolises it is more likely that only the fanbase will come, because you are bombarded with events and make no effort to try something new. In provincial towns, on the other hand, the curiosity to go and see something you don’t know inspires more and pushes you to get a ticket.

Today the word influencer is very overused, they have even opened a degree course in this field. What do you think will be the future of influencer marketing?

This question puts me in a difficult position because I don’t think I work with influencers, but with content creators. None of them are born ‘product storytellers’, but rather creative content creators. The brand should want to marry the person’s language and content, but often the demand is to fit into their format. If the market tries to marry the content, the tone of voice and the persona, more results will be achieved. With companies that have understood this, we have activated collaborations that have led to the best results because they are more authentic. We try to bring a little more knowledge of our creators by proposing how they participate in this activity. When we find those who understand this, the collaboration lasts: we like to convey messages, not just tell a product.

This is the scenario in Italy. In your opinion, however, is there a little more conscience abroad?

Abroad there is a bit more conscience, for the usual speech that they come first on everything. A few years ago, when I was mainly involved in YouTube, I often looked at what was happening in the United States: it was like looking into the future. In 2014 at ITAtube, a convention that had been organised at Alcatraz in Milan dedicated to the world of YouTube, English youtubers had come for the first time. In England, on YouTube, the first vloggers had taken shape, while in Italy we didn’t know what they were. I, by participating, realised that that was the direction and that we had to take it right away. Among the various youtubers I saw a lot of collaboration and, therefore, I thought: we have ten guys from Milan, they all have something to say, let’s try to do something.

This was actually the trump card for the British. For example, if you followed Marcus Butler who was collaborating with other youtubers, almost like a group of friends, you would get to know and follow the others as well.

Exactly. The great thing is that this path, in England, was extremely natural: they were the forerunners of this random phenomenon that inspired all of Europe and America. Looking outside is always fundamental to understanding.

Have you ever had to manage a crisis? Do you have a crisis management plan to deal with them?

Crisis management is an area in which Show Reel Factory is very strong, we almost always never reach the peak of a crisis, but we see it coming early. I think the most effective crisis management is when the crisis does not arrive, but you manage to intercept it earlier, calm it down.

We have had all kinds of crises and it is crucial to have a clear picture of the situation and who the interlocutors are. I see so many crisis workers focusing on a few tweets made by fake accounts: those should be allowed to flow. There are times when you have to be quiet, others when you have to take your time and respond well, turning the crisis into a flash in the pan.

This is something I have to be honest about, we are often very far-sighted and have strong nerves, we know a lot about the environment and we know how to behave.

This is the reality of Show Reel Factory as told by its CEO, Helio Di Nardo. From talent management to a complete research path that starts with the study of the community and arrives at the identification of its language and tone of voice.

A project that makes it possible to create identifying content and formats appreciated by all ages throughout the country.