Strategy AC Milan communication - That the Milan's communication strategy has changed dramatically after the acquisition of the club by Li Yonghong and the arrival of new management led by CEO, Marco Fassone, is there for all to see.
If in the long months preceding the closing of the Chinese, also due to confidentiality issues related to negotiations with Fininvest, the Berlusconi family, were limited to a minimum flow of information to the press and the fans, creating many worries to the Rossoneri supporters concerned about fate of their favorite team, once settled at Casa Milan new ownership and the new leadership have launched a communication strategy set to greater transparency on the management decisions and on a direct relationship with the fans and the fan base Rossoneri through social networks.
A strategy set by the new director of communications of Milan, Fabio Guadagnini , who in an interview with First Communications has explained in detail the "revolution" started with the signing, live on the Facebook, the renewal of the contract Vincenzo Montella.
"Only two simple things were made," explains First Guadagnini, a long journalistic experience as director of Sky Sports before moving in October 2015, the head of external relations of the organizing committee of Rome in 2024 and become the 20 last April director of Milan's communication.
"First, we took action to make sure that our transfer market is done transparently, in the light of the sun . House Milan has become the reference point of the negotiations, most of the meetings with agents and prosecutors are held here and journalists who constantly piantonano the seat see who enters and who exits. It is a less 'lobbying' to manage recruitment from tradition , which provided for reserved places and great secrecy ".
To go to this basic direction is proving the use of the website (
www.acmilan.com currently enjoys 1.3 million monthly visits) and social channels "Western" (24.8 million followers on Facebook, 4.7 million on Twitter, Google Plus 5.9m, 3.1m on Instagram, 330,000 subscribers to YouTube channel) and on those that are all the rage in China (26 000 to 450 000, and WeChat on Weibo).
"I believe in integrated communication," notes Guadagnini, "the message must be addressed at all levels of relations with stakeholders. One of these is the fan base, the community of national and international fans, which we consider an asset, a primary reference point for the company . Consider fans almost small reference publishers, with whom we communicate, interact, updating them on the club's activities. As a result, our communication is much more social , although of course not be separated from traditional or mainstream media such as newspapers and Web sites. "
Despite this new communication strategy devoted to transparency and direct relationship with the fans, the doubts about the corporate future of the club continue to be a constant in the debate in the press and among the supporters rossoneri.
On this point Guadagnini is serene: "It seems to me that the General Meeting of May 18 has cleared all acting in a capital increase of 60 million euro and the issue of two bonds totaling 128 million euro at the Vienna Stock Exchange" , says the manager of the Rossoneri communication before, " the financial plan is very specific, there are no great enigmas . The only question mark may relate to the fact that the current property is or is not capable of supporting a plan that depends on other activities, such as those wanting to start in China. "
And also on the relationship between the new properties and the fund Elliott , which has provided Yonghong Li the capital necessary to complete the acquisition of Milan, the head of communications Rossoneri try to curb any alarmism: " The presence of US fund Elliott Management is an additional warranty . Meanwhile, the property has been working hard on Milan China, the new company which will deal with the Milan brand development in the Chinese territory. "
Milan China thus represents one of the key points of the development plan of Milan. "With David Han Li (right arm the executive director of Li Yonghong, ed) we are working on tour in China July 14 to 22. He is regularly in Milan, but it is in constant contact with the Italian manager. With Fassone, every morning, do a conference call a couple of hours to talk about all the activities. However, Fassone is the manager who is in Milan property in all respects. The exchange rule is: you work well in Italy, make the team competitive, we know China and the business in this country we do. "
The expansion strategy outside Italy could also relate Milan TV, the thematic channel Rossoneri paid currently inserted in the Sky bouquet. "The goal is to give a setting a bit 'more digital TV at Milan", explains Guadagnini, "The digital platform will allow us to go beyond the boundaries and become international. With Milan China must be ready for a digital first platform very powerful, able to bring content even in Australia if it were needed. "
"The vertical channel on Sky TV is very important and generates revenues being paid, but it is also very Italian. It has so much content - talk shows and programs in Italian - which could hardly be replicated on the international market. We should also think of other formats. "