Three out of four global consumers want 'Made in Italy' products
Three out of four consumers worldwide would agree to pay more for 'Made in Italy' products. Social media is the primary discovery channel for 'Made in Italy' in all five markets, ranging from 35 percent in France to 44 percent in the US. However, only 14 to 18 percent of Western consumers directly follow the official profiles of Italian brands. The presence is driven by creators, not by proprietary channels.
Between 57 percent (France) and 91 percent (China) of consumers state that social media has changed the way they view 'made in Italy'.
These are some of the findings released by Pulse Advertising, an independent global influencer marketing and social media agency. The agency conducted the 'Made in Italy in the Social Media Age' study, the first international research entirely dedicated to 'Made in Italy', covering food, design, automotive, and, with a special focus, fashion on social media.
Only 18 percent of British and 14 percent of German consumers follow official 'Made in Italy' brand profiles on social media
The study, conducted with the research institute Eumetra on 2,541 consumers in five markets—China, the US, Germany, France, and the UK—analyses how social media and creators are redefining the global perception of Italian excellence and its perceived value among international consumers.
The respondents, ranging from 15 to 65 years, were distributed across five strategic markets: the US, the UK, Germany, France, and China.
Willingness to pay more for an Italian product exists and is measurable
The willingness to pay more for an Italian product exists and is measurable: 74 percent of American and British consumers are prepared to do so. The clothing and fashion sector leads this propensity in all markets, from 42 percent in Germany to 51 percent in the UK. These figures seem reassuring until the next data point is considered, as highlighted in a note by experts at Pulse Advertising.
Paola Nanelli, global CEO of Pulse Advertising, explained: "Only 18 percent of British and 14 percent of German consumers report directly following the official social media profiles of 'made in Italy' brands. Even in the most engaged market, China, the share does not exceed 32 percent.
"The symbolic heritage built each season is not translating into a presence on the channel where the vast majority of global consumers discover, evaluate, and decide. 64 percent of Americans, 58 percent of Germans and Britons, and 57 percent of the French state that social media has changed how they view 'Made in Italy'.
"The challenge is not to convince consumers to follow an official profile; it is to be present in the feed where they already are, through creators and content that speak their language. Fashion produces images. However, images alone are no longer enough."
Furthermore, in all five markets analysed by the research, 'style and elegance' is the primary value spontaneously associated with an Italian product, ranging from 29 percent in France and the US to 38 percent in Germany. No other country of origin achieves such broad consensus on a single attribute. Even before a brand speaks, the consumer already has a clear idea of what it means to buy Italian: elegance, craftsmanship, and beauty.
According to the respondents, Armani and Ferrari are the only two Italian brands on the podium in all five markets analysed, from London to Shanghai and from Berlin to New York. "This result is no coincidence: both have built a coherent and recognisable digital identity over time, capable of crossing cultures and product categories. For the fashion system, the message is clear: global recognition is built in the feed with the same continuity as it is built in the product," continued the experts at Pulse Advertising.