In the spotlight: Raffaele Pastore - Italian Advertisers' Association

I was born and raised in the sunny city of Bari in Puglia, where I lived for the first twenty years of my life. I've now been living in Rome for about forty years and working in Milan for almost twenty. I still don't know which city, from north to south, best defines me; I think it's all of them.

After graduating as a sociology researcher, I was hired by one of the most important social research institutes in Italy, Censis, where in 2001 I began specialising in media analysis and media consumption among the Italian and European population. This led to my encounter with Utenti Pubblicità Associati (UPA)and my hiring as Director of the Research Office in 2008. In 2021, the UPA board unanimously appointed me as Director General.

One initiative we're focusing on at UPA is the definition of standards for cross-media measurement of advertising campaigns. This is undoubtedly the most important challenge, and it absolutely must be overcome for the benefit of investing companies. When I started working in the advertising and marketing sector, the digital world, in terms of advertising, was just beginning to take shape. The JIC Audiweb had just been established, the world of search was gaining ground, and banners were prevailing over video ads. Since then, the digital ecosystem has never stopped, constantly evolving towards social media as we know it today and the emergence of AI.

A trend that excites me for the next five years in marketing is the potential for greater responsiveness, thanks in part to AI, and a clearer view of the context thanks to the enormous amount of data available on consumer behaviour.

I believe that the future of marketing associations lies in the ability to listen to their members' needs and to understand key market trends. Ultimately, the role of associations is one of guidance and support. Guidance and support are the two fundamental actions. Collaboration between associations and the industry at large is also important because it allows us to share experiences, refine approaches and accelerate the achievement of results.

One piece of advice I would give to those starting out in marketing today is to never stop being curious. Curiosity, which is the closest relative of intelligence, is the most useful characteristic and attitude for those who need to be able to identify emerging trends, make decisions, evaluate results, and... start over again every time.

An Italian advertising campaign that has really struck me was the one that reached the finals for the Grand Effie at the Effie Awards Italy last September. It was for Ichnusa beer which promoted respect for the environment by combatting the phenomenon of beer bottles abandoned everywhere. The advert courageously stated in its slogan, showing bottles left on the street: "If it has to end like this, don't even drink it."

Courage is becoming an important characteristic of campaigns aimed at capturing consumers' attention. In the years to come, I would bet everything on the courage to always tell things as they truly are.

If I could change one thing about the marketing industry right now, it would be to abandon the often purely theoretical sophistries and focus on operational choices and tangible results. Marketing must be a concrete activity, not an academic science. Of course, academic theories are also useful, but the market is shaped by being up to our necks in them.