Born: Italy
Worked in: Italy and throughout Europe.
Giuseppe Barbetta makes transitions seamlessly. He graduated with a degree in Literature, embarked on an agency career in research, and now is responsible for strategic planning for the Fiat Chrysler Group, which includes such iconic car brands as Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Iveco and Ferrari. He’d advocate that each discipline results in creating a stronger, overall skillset to contend with global strategies.
The combined companies of Fiat and Chrysler aim to produce 6 million cars a year by 2014; Fiat SpA has a 53.5-percent majority stake in U.S. automaker Chrysler Group LLC and is looking to combine the companies to create a global automaker. Certainly the new Fiat 500 or Cinquecento is making a big splash throughout the world. It’s considered “smaller than a Mini, yet as Italian as a Ferrari for a twelfth of the cost.”
J.LO (Musician and Dancer Jennifer Lopez) is helping sales in Fiat’s return-to-the-USA campaign for the 500 Cabrio. Portions of her “Papi” video have been repurposed in the new commercial for the fun subcompact. Before directing potential buyers to FiatUSA.com, the ad teases viewers with: "Like the car? Go online. Like J.Lo? Get in line."
Certainly Fiat Chrysler’s expanded scope keeps Giuseppe abreast of global media trends. Recently, he spoke at a Connect Alliance meeting on the sprawling subject of a “worldwide media point of view.” When Guiseppe looks to our media future, he sees increased “blending”—whether it is between reality and the virtual world, through technology platforms that enable cross-media content diffusion or something as specific as greater combining of out of home with video. He jokes that “media habits are more like snacking. People don’t entirely give up the old medium, they simple add the new... and then spend less time on each.”
He also recognizes that some basics don’t change, and a brand still needs to stand out amid the constant clutter of messages. To do so today, means delivering an augmented media experience—one that is more interesting, more involving and more experiential. He notes a number of catalysts or accelerators to provide that augmented experience. They include: 3D, augmented reality combined with smartphone apps, and Social TV, which is a simultaneous experience that involves watching TV while being online where new websites and apps are quickly emerging. For some of the digital trends he mentioned, Giuseppe is certainly well-placed in his native Italy where smartphone penetration is currently considered to be the highest in the world.
Giuseppe started his career at Carat in 2003 as a researcher and analyst in the Geoconsulting or local marketing unit. He was then promoted to the role of Media Research at Expert (Carat’s research and strategy department) with responsibility for press research and consultancy. In 2006, he moved to Group M, also initially within the research and strategy department, and in order to design bespoke survey for clients like Campari, Hachette, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo. In 2009 Giuseppe joined the Maxus arm of Group M, taking lead responsibility for the Fiat Group of automobiles.