International Marketing: Italy, the Extraordinary Commonplace

Italy: land of wine, pizza, love, and passionate gesticulations while speaking. Such are some of the stereotypes held regarding Italy and her people. After a recent two-week trip to Italy, I encountered this beautiful piece released by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development. Political ties aside, here we see a country embracing the stereotypes, only to immediately use them to their advantage.

See how a few isolated frames are used to introduce the stereotype, before we then see the bigger picture, adding context to the idea and changing our perception. We cover science, engineering, and other economies before closing with the arts and Italy's claim to having the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites, tapping into the country's longstanding tradition of being a leader in music and the performing arts. 

The Ministry's tongue-in-cheek approach to this video demonstrates a solid understanding of Italy's perceived personality, with the knowledge that this is a prime opportunity to refute and showcase the country's lesser-known but equally important achievements.