The history of Italian cinema is mostly regarded as a history of Italian
auteurs. This book takes a different standpoint, looking at Italian
cinema from the perspective of an unusual, but influential actor:
advertisers.
From the iconic Vespa scooter and the many other Made in Italy
products placed in domestic and international features, to Carosello's
early format of branded entertainment, up through the more recent brand
integration cases in award-winning titles like The Great Beauty, the
Italian film and advertising industries have frequently and
significantly intersected, in ways that remain largely unexplored by
academic research. This book contributes to fill this gap, by focusing
on the economic and cultural influence that advertising and advertisers'
interests have been exerting on Italian film production between the
post-war period and the 2010s. Increasingly market-oriented film
policies, ongoing pressure from Hollywood competition, and the abnormal
economic as well as political power held by Italian ad-funded
broadcasters are among the key points addressed by the book. In addition
to a macro-level political economic analysis, the book draws on
exclusive interviews with film producers and promotional intermediaries
to provide a meso level analysis of the practices and professional
cultures of those working at the intersection of Italian film and
advertising industries.
Providing an in-depth yet clear and accessible overview of the political
and economic dynamics driving the Italian media landscape towards
unprecedented forms of marketisation, this is a valuable resource for
academics and students in the fields of film and media studies,
marketing, advertising, and Italian studies.
