Rome Diary: Metaphysical Slogans, Half-Full Restaurants, Giving up Texting for Lent, and Dinner with the Italian King of Soy
Ciao from Rome, where I have come to speak at a media conference. The theme of the conference is Tutto Cambia. Cambiamo Tutto?, which translates as "Everything Changes, But Do We Change Everything?" Very metaphysical.
As soon as I got off the plane, I was greeted with a driver holding a sign -- not with my name on it, not with the name of the organizers, but with the conference slogan. Just the kind of question one longs for after a 12-hour journey. Are we in the grip of inexorable forces or are we in control of our own destiny? I asked the driver which side of the debate he was on. He said he believed in predestination - but I noticed he had a GPS in the car. Just in case.
On the ride to the hotel I read Kara Swisher's post on the conference and learned that a local Catholic diocese is asking its parishioners to give up text messaging for Lent. I guess abstaining from meat on Fridays from now until Easter is so 16th century.
There was just enough time for a shower before joining the other conference speakers for dinner at La Terrazza dell'Eden, the restaurant located on the top floor of the hotel Eden. The room offers a spectacular 180-degree view of Rome, including a breathtaking perspective on St. Peter's Cathedral.
I was seated next to our host, Lorenzo Sassoli De Bianchi, the tall, elegant head of the ad association -- and the soy king of Italy.
He regaled the table with stories about his early days bringing soy products to his country. When he was first starting out, he didn't have enough money to pay for advertising. So he approached Silvio Berlusconi, the three-time Prime Minister of Italy, who at the time was focused on running his string of television stations.
De Bianchi asked Berlusconi if he'd be interested in a deal: put my ads on the air, at no cost, for three years, and I'll give you a cut of my profits. Berlusconi agreed -- and the Soy King was launched.
The relationship must have soured over the years because when he told me about a dinner Berlusconi is holding with the nation's bankers tonight, he said that while it is ostensibly to get the bankers' views on the economic crisis, it is more likely about getting additional advertising for the prime minister's media empire. "If you have a business proposal for him," he added, "Berlusconi always has time to see you."
Berlusconi has said that "in the near future we will live to 120 years in good health." De Bianchi suggested that since the Italian left has basically self-destructed, the Prime Minister, who has held the office from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2006, and again since 2008, might just remain in power until he's 120.
Italy is lagging a bit behind the U.S. in terms of feeling the effects of the economic crisis, with an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent. Nevertheless, the restaurant, which, I was told, is usually packed was only half-full.
Our party took up two tables. Among the other guests was Kara Swisher of AllThingsD.com, who interviewed me as part of the conference; LinkedIn founder and CEO Reid Hoffman, who told us his network has just hit 36 million users and was signing up a million new members every 17 days; and Jack Trout, co-author of the marketing classic Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, who is working on the sequel, titled (appropriately enough) Repositioning.
Trout is speaking on Thursday after I leave, so I asked him to give me a taste of his talk. He said, "I'll give you my opening line: 'It is time to be terrified.'"
LinkedIn's Hoffman, on the other hand, was surprisingly optimistic -- especially about the prospects for online businesses, which he feels will better survive the economic crunch because they are dealing with forward thinking, growing industries. "The way to accelerate our way out of the recession," he told me, "is through investing, not through spending. Investing builds the new economy; spending often props up defunct industries."
Another of the guests was Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing. He had some very interesting thoughts about the banking crisis, saying that one solution not getting enough attention is credit unions. He pointed out that credit unions got their start during the Great Depression and are doing great. 88 million Americans are members of credit unions, non-profit community banks that provide all the same services as banks, but without the gaming the system nonsense.
He sent me the link to a blog he wrote about credit unions (which we've cross-posted on HuffPost), in which he writes: "This is one of those rare moments in history when entire markets are shifting. If credit unions were doing a decent job of marketing, they could grab a massive percentage of the market from banks. Think iTunes vs. CD sales."
There was much talk during the dinner about Beppe Grillo, the most famous blogger in Italy, who was profiled last year in the New Yorker. Grillo, who mostly blogs about the crookedness of Italy's politicians and institutions, is a cultural phenomenon, named Italy's second most popular political figure and rated the 9th most powerful blogger in the world. Two key Beppe facts: he has won more than a dozen libel lawsuits brought against him and once organized a rally of approximately 100,000 people protesting the 24 convicts in the Italian senate and parliament.
When the conversation inevitably turned to new media, De Bianchi weighed in on the state of the Italian newspaper industry, saying that the two big papers, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, were still having trouble adjusting to new realities -- both still have separate ad and editorial teams for their print versions and their online versions. "They haven't integrated their organizations," he said. Online is clearly still the ugly stepchild as it was, after all, for many years in the States. One reason for the delay is the fact that while 60 percent of Italians have Internet access, only 16 percent have broadband. Meanwhile, there are 58 million people in Italy but over 78 million cell phones. So, note to HuffPost's international expansion team: mobile delivery is clearly the way to go after the Italian news market.
The conference is being held at Auditorium Parco della Musica, the exquisite public music complex on the north side of Rome designed by Renzo Piano, who also designed the New York Times building. The place is an acoustic marvel, with interiors made entirely of cherry-wood. "Wood is fundamental," Piano once explained. "Wood is music itself. Just remember Steinway, and Stradivari." Only one problem: there is no cell phone reception inside, so you can't multi-task while listening to the speakers. At least it reduces temptation for those who've given up texting for Lent.
I arrived at the Auditorium in time for the scheduled 9:45 start of the conference. It didn't get started until 10:15 -- the laid-back approach made me feel as if I was back in Greece, where nothing starts on time.
Everyone was given a button to wear, reading "Io Ho Fiducia" -- "I am confident." I guess the organizers haven't been keeping up on the U.S. bank bailout.
Other than the guest speakers from America, the whole conference is in Italian. But many of the attendees refuse to put on the headsets offering simultaneous translations when English is being spoken. "It goes against their vanity to admit they are not fluent enough in English to do without the translation," one of the conference organizers told me. "So, if you see anyone in the audience who seems lost while you are speaking, you'll know why."
Good to know. But this could be one case where my accent will actually help people to understand me. "Io Ho Fiducia."
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Hello to you all,
I am German working in Italy (in advertising) and have attended the summit in Rome.. It was great to have you there, Arianna, above all because you were one of the people that really have changed the way of making business in these times.. I went there in order to get more into the subject and meet some of the people that have made real use of all this infinite world of new opportunities!
For me it was a pity that there was no possibility whatsoever to intervene, or to have a debate! In my opinion, the same UPA is still trying to protect their old way of making business instead of really trying to change.. In fact there were way to many people representing television (as also indicated by other people here, above all for young people in Italy by far not really relevant any more), and almost noone representing the Italian initiatives in this field... Italy has still such a long way to go, and I think there are so many exciting possibilites in this field.
I can see the point of that bishop. My parish priest is quick to point out that what we should really give up for lent is whatever is keeping us from seeing, and making, the changes in our lives that we should be making. I can easily see that being texting for many people.
Well, a day in Rome beats a day almost anywhere else.
"Marcel-lo...."
Arianna, I wish I could attended your event last time you were in NY. Too bad I was busy with my sad little job. Recently I also passed up on meeting a super model whose been on the cover of Vogue at least three times, once again because I was busy working. If I had a choice, dinner with you again vs. meeting a super model, I would would choose you.
Awww, that's sweet.
Arianna is impressive, especially in person. She's very tall and elegant, quite a diva. And don't get me started about her voice and her Greek accent...
For the past three weeks, I've been spending my Starbucks money each morning for Citigroup shares instead of coffee. So far as 'percentage return on investment,' goes, it's been my best financial venture in years. I just wish I had bought more when Citigroup was about a dollar. Obama has finally convinced me that feds aren't going to allow Citibank to fail, so in effect the Citibank now has keys to the pressrom where dollars are printed, right? And if you print your own bucks or have access to as many as you need to stay afloat, you're not going broke, right? Sterling Greenwood/Aspen Free Press
I just crack up when I see Italian TV. Its like stepping through the glass into another world. Its either a parade of babes, or dubbed imports, or something that vaguely resembles news. But then, the Italians are all in the streets it seems, avoiding it.
Cheers,
Jack
One thing that you might want to do while you're across the pond is go to as many countries as possible - in western Europe and eastern Europe - and remind them what most Americans obviously think of George W. Bush now.
I'm Italian and live in Italy. I was born in Rome and appreciate all the people who get a taste of the unique romantic places in Rome. But Italy has a major fundamental democratic problem that reflects of the control of the media. Italians simply do not understand the "US First amendment" that garantees freedom of expression". Now they want to censor all Italian bloggers to control the flow of information in the only place left free: the Internet. They want to force Skype to eavesdrop all communications. All TV is a bipoly controlled by one person. It is like if the CEO of ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX was Obama. This is the kind of retarded mentality that needs to be addressed when talking about Italy.
While you're in Rome, you might want to take a look at a civil rights suit filed against a Texas town for financially lynching minorities there: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008851454_forfeit13.html
Regarding the obsession known as text-messaging.........
As a man who has not much use for it, except when totally necessary,
{which is hardly ever}, its much to say about nothing. A waste of our time.
Especially the kids. Life is too short. Engaging in this as a recreation, or
a pastime of sorts takes time away from all that can be enjoyed.
A good book, some healthy exercise, a look at nature, and actual being together..
Think about it. All that is really what lifes about suffers during all that texting.
It pre-occupies the mind, and you miss out what's really happening in what
is most important. Living in the here and now.
Arianna,
Congratulations! Do what you do best in Journalism. With you as a representative, I am confident you will make us proud, as always!
Bravo Arianna, as usual, the eyes of a cat observing and reporting all angles of the public. Oh I got so wrapped in the article I almost forgot. I thought of you and huffpo when Patrick Leahy sent an e-mail requesting ohhhhhhhhhh.....100,000 signatures and I am going to give it to you first, before going to Democrats.com.
BushTruthCommission.com
Senator Leahy has said it will take the extra push in signatures to get this moving. I thought of Bill Maher and that shoe or cowboy boot, that has America's name on it, if you know what I mean.
We can do this, Yes We Can.
We can't leave the loose nutz running and waiting to prey on our kids with another lie.
These guys are war criminals.
Let's get her done and move on.
Restaurant owners are complaining re loss of business. Yet at least for me, they don't do the one, very inexpensive thing, that would cause me want to eat in their establishment. And that is in providing free WiFi to enable me to get to the internet on my Apple iPod Touch -- which requires WiFi for most everything I want to do with it. I don't mind waiting for service if they provide WiFi to enable me to get on line, but I have no time to wait otherwise, and after checking if they have free WiFi available, I will just walk out if I have to wait at all, which is almost always the case. There are literally millions of people with iPods and iPhones, all of which work at all or at least better in the case of the iPhone, if WiFi is available. But do these owners understand this? Of course not. And I live in San Jose, Calif., the home of Silicon Valley where almost everyone is or wants to be connected to the internet, as much of our business work is conducted online. Some want me to pay $6.00 to get to WiFi, which of couse I won't. Charles Wilkes
Maybe some of us would like to eat in peace and escape cell phones and Wifi for an hour while we eat and digest a meal. Maybe a restaurant in San Jose who DOESN'T offer Wifi has a following of people who don't feel the need to be connected 24/7!
Second to that! I don't understand why everyone has to be texting, talking into their phones everywhere. I had to buy those headphones that block out external noise or I would never eat in restaurants. I tell people that if they call my cell and I'm in a public place, I won't answer (unless I'm waiting for urgent news or trying to meet someone who is lost.)
How often have you seen two people sitting at a table in a restaurant ignoring each other while they text and yack on their phones? Why do they even sit together if they're not even going to talk to each other?
And going to the movies? I have been reduced to throwing popcorn (well, only twice and it was right after a testosterone injection) at people who wont stop texting, the light of their phones blinking on and off, and distracting everyone in the auditorium.
I like to experience where I am and who I'm with and what I'm doing not screaming into a cell phone and ignoring the here and now.
Some places should be left WiFi-free - cafes, bistros, restaurants and airlines. Continuous bombardment of EMFs from cell phones, wireless connections undermines human health in significant ways. The science is in. The irony of someone being so connected with electronic media, gadgets is one becomes increasingly disconnected with their fellow human beings, the environment -themselves! We can no longer function as effective human beings, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically. Have you seen the movie Idiocracy? I can't watch it beyond the first half hour, it's too close to what we are becoming. Let's avoid dumbing down, shall we?
Berlusconi committed the parliament to made 15 laws behalf Himself, to avoid process and to have economic advantage for his business.
Now let me suggest, don’t try to understand, for an American/Canadian or even Europeans it’s impossible :
This is Italy !
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p.s.
So dear Arianna, given that you are here in Italy at the moment you can easily check out by your own what I told you.
Btw:
I hope that this Obama’s presidency will ALSO helps to wake up Italian people.
have a nice day.
bye.
:)
Just for last instance ,how any American President could do this:
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/18/silvio-berlusconi-immunity-prosecution
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/world/europe/18italy.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=mills&st=cse
The New York Times
http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/british-lawyer-sentenced-for-taking-bribe-from-berlusconi/?scp=2&sq=mills&st=cse
Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/4681727/The-rise-and-fall-David-Mills-jailed-for-four-years-over-Silvio-Berlusconi-bribe.html?dbk
The Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/david-mills-the-brilliant-wellconnected-lawyer-who-was-too-impulsive-for-his-own-good-1624878.html
...And avoid the impeachment.
The title of your Home page “Judge to Madoff:Go straight to Jail” made me laugh a lot:
In Italy would be: “Judge to Madoff: Go straight to Parliament, you are one of them”
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We celebrate the day when we finally got rid of the fascist dictatorship after the WWII , in April the 25th nationally.
At work it’s a day-off for everybody.
We –the democratic party supporters , the minority right now-expose the Italian flag in every window and in every contest ,big city, small town, hamlets, the city council gathers behind the mayor(if the mayor is a democrat obviously, but in local administration there are plenty of centre-left mayors) giving a public speech and mourning the deceased as you do in the Memorial Day.
Can you believe that this man ,being Him in charge or not, NEVER show up in ANY official or private meeting to celebrate whit the rest of the country ?
And worse than that, he is somehow dreaming to eliminate that celebration from the calendar.
In that blessed day He ALWAYS got hidden in one of his 10 mansion.*(see note below )
Too much freedom in the air for him in that day :
He can’t breath I guess.
-* note
He owns as many mansion as McCain’s + many greedy business +He controls at least 5 national newspaper + 3 out of 6 nationwide TVs channels:
Listening to Fox News is a cake walk compared to the level of bullshit His TVs broadcast.
-The remaining 3 TVs channels are public, so , being Him in charge, He can somehow control almost completely the MSM.-Go figure again, we are doped by His TVs !
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