In Città Tote: A must-have icon
The work
From culture to food to current events, Italy Magazine readers and premium subscribers have an outlet to deepen their understanding of Italy from home and while exploring.
My goal was to inspire readers to become paid subscribers, and for subscribers to renew their memberships through a series of marketing campaigns including a limited edition tote bag campaign that I developed: In Città Totes.
Starting with Rome, the totes were designed to be a must-have icon and marketing tool included with Premium Memberships for Italy Magazine and the magazine’s parent company, Wandrian, and its ItaliaPass membership.
Storytelling
For Rome, the first in the In Città Tote series, I wrote the story of Rome’s iconic water fountain, the nasone, keeping the text brief but engaging and with a clear call to action:
Rome, city of ancient aqueducts, is also home to about 3,000 drinking fountains, introduced after the unification of Italy in the 19th century. Known as nasoni, which means “large noses,” the peculiar spouts are historic charms-turned-modern sustainability tools. Fill up your water bottle or take a swig right from the source.
For the visual storytelling, I hired and directed an illustrator from my network to create the one-of-a-kind hand-drawn and lettered design.
Content Strategy
The In Città Tote was part of a limited-edition drop for Italy Magazine’s holiday campaign marketing strategy. I researched and found a Tuscan brand, Rifò, to partner with for the totes. The B Corp focused on sustainability by using recycled materials, is reviving a centuries-old textile tradition. Its commitment to sustainability was key for the launch email and a half a dozen email campaigns during the seven-week holiday promotion.
I wrote an article on Italy Magazine about Rifò to further promote the campaign. This is an excerpt:
This Textile Tradition of Prato Was Sustainable Before Anyone Knew How to Label It
Rifò, an inflection in Tuscan dialect of the verb rifare (meaning “to remake, to redo”), has put sustainability, and the centuries-old practice of local workers known as cenciaioli — roughly translated as ragmen — at the center of its business model. The company uses recycled wool, cashmere, cotton and denim to create fabrics and yarns that become sweaters, scarves, gloves, shirts and tote bags. The products, sold in its online shop and stockists in more than 300 stores globally, along with a program to recycle used clothing, led Rifò to be awarded B Corp certification in 2020 for its commitment to social and environmental impact.
We were impressed with Rifò’s focus on sustainability and partnered with them for our limited-edition In Città Totes. Designed with sturdy cotton fabric, a zipper, and a bespoke illustration, they are crafted for long use, like all Rifò products. We recently went on one of Rifò’s textile tours to see the process behind what the company sells.