The Storytelling of AFF Comunicazione
Alessia Fattori Franchini, founder of AFF Studio, talks about her philosophy as a Brand Building Agency specializing in fashion, jewelry and lifestyle
It was titled "Timeless Time," the exhibition that last January traced the career of photographer Vincent Peters, featuring 90 black & white portraits of Hollywood stars and supermodels in stark contrast to the 15th-century allure of Milan's Palazzo Reale. Sponsor of the event, the Boglioli brand. "Deus" ex machina of this unprecedented trait d'union, AFF Communicazione, a Studio founded by Alessia Fattori Franchini is formed by a team of creative and communication experts:
«I have always been fascinated by the creation of a message, the right images that accompany and reinforce it, and carefully selected words to convey a certain idea. It is a kind of magical interaction that has fascinated me since childhood. I have always read a lot, and I am grateful to my family for what it has been able to pass on to me, forming that indispensable background for those in my profession», Alessia says. «In the case of Boglioli, one of our clients in the fashion industry, it was precisely this search for originality that guided us in the creation of something unforgettable in its own way, both for those who visited the exhibition and for those who were an active part of it. I began to be involved in fashion almost by chance, when some 20 years ago, after graduating in law, I held the position of spokesperson for the Milan City Council's Fashion Councillor. I am a professional journalist and my point of view is always newsworthiness depending on the target media. Each target demands a specific content, and our role is precisely to study ad hoc projects for each client according to their needs, in a Brand Building Agency perspective that builds awareness and reputation with a multi-channel approach. Growth, visibility and positioning strategies devised through strategic, media buying, press office, influencer marketing, digital pr and social media manager activities, and finally content creation and event design focused on creating a brand narrative are thus at the core of AFF's actions, and they are what propels us towards important results. When we approach a new reality, the first thing we do is figure out if there is a storytelling, and if there is not, we build it together, and then we look for the right people to tell it to. We have specific know-how with which we set out to communicate a brand and to facilitate access to resources but also to business partners, and to those in the media world so from the publishing and press players to the most suitable talent or celebrities and influencers. We look at the development of the companies we work with from an entrepreneurial perspective, as partners of a brand, not as mere suppliers or external collaborators. Ours is a genuine participation in brand development and idea creation, and where others don't arrive, we try to do it. My motto? There are far fewer ideas than budgets! That's why I love to invest in professionals who, like me, know how to bring out that flash of genius, that flicker that can give personality and soul to what was just a thought until a little while before and is then transformed into content to be disseminated.
Of course, we do all this while respecting the vision of the owners, CEOs and creative directors of a brand. We stand by them, proactively and dynamically. Today, AFF can rely on prestigious headquarters, in Via Bigli, in the heart of Milan’s Fashion District, and on a staff of 15 people divided into three departments, interconnected and autonomous at the same time: one fashion and jewelry, one lifestyle, and one digital, available to the first two. When I am talking about lifestyle, I am referring to Italian and international excellences ranging from luxury hotellerie to fine dining and real estate. For 8 years we have been dealing, for example, with Italy Sotheby's International Realty, which, thanks to a series of our ad hoc media activities, has achieved +30% visibility. An important result for a client whose brand needs no introduction. The same for clients in the hospitality world, such as Hotel Sereno on Lake Como, with design by Patricia Urquiola, and historic Hotel Byron in Forte dei Marmi. Turning to another sector, it is enough to mention Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, the parent company of the celebrated Sassicaia wine, to outline a decidedly high and ambitious profile in the food&beverage world as well. As for the jewelry world, after 8 years of collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels, brands such as Pasquale Bruni, Farnese Gioielli and Villa Milano, each in its own way an expression of unique Italian style, are now part of our portfolio. Pasquale Bruni with its collections knows how to convey passion and femininity. The Roman maison Farnese has been able to transform jewelry from static to dynamic, offering on the market pieces with an innovative imprint patented in 72 countries. Alice Villa, the last of the "dynasty" of Milanese jewelers, on the other hand, knows how to give her collections a twist that combines tradition and innovation, exploiting contemporary materials and stones that are never taken for granted. Finally, completing the rose of excellence is Verga, which for the Milanese is synonymous with haute horlogerie boutiques. In three generations spent just a stone's throw from the Duomo, in the historic boutique in Via Mazzini and now with the new pole in Gae Aulenti, Verga has been able to impose itself on the "square" in an increasingly exclusive sector, managing to gain the trust of both brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe and a Milanese and international public. Binding all these areas together is a mainstream, that of projects related to social responsibility and culture, which AFF supports and promotes through updated and innovative initiatives. These themes enthuse me and my entire team and allow us to create projects with a tone of voice that represent us and the brands that choose us.
This will be the future of AFF, projects for companies where content and positioning make the difference.
«I have always been fascinated by the creation of a message, the right images that accompany and reinforce it, and carefully selected words to convey a certain idea. It is a kind of magical interaction that has fascinated me since childhood. I have always read a lot, and I am grateful to my family for what it has been able to pass on to me, forming that indispensable background for those in my profession», Alessia says. «In the case of Boglioli, one of our clients in the fashion industry, it was precisely this search for originality that guided us in the creation of something unforgettable in its own way, both for those who visited the exhibition and for those who were an active part of it. I began to be involved in fashion almost by chance, when some 20 years ago, after graduating in law, I held the position of spokesperson for the Milan City Council's Fashion Councillor. I am a professional journalist and my point of view is always newsworthiness depending on the target media. Each target demands a specific content, and our role is precisely to study ad hoc projects for each client according to their needs, in a Brand Building Agency perspective that builds awareness and reputation with a multi-channel approach. Growth, visibility and positioning strategies devised through strategic, media buying, press office, influencer marketing, digital pr and social media manager activities, and finally content creation and event design focused on creating a brand narrative are thus at the core of AFF's actions, and they are what propels us towards important results. When we approach a new reality, the first thing we do is figure out if there is a storytelling, and if there is not, we build it together, and then we look for the right people to tell it to. We have specific know-how with which we set out to communicate a brand and to facilitate access to resources but also to business partners, and to those in the media world so from the publishing and press players to the most suitable talent or celebrities and influencers. We look at the development of the companies we work with from an entrepreneurial perspective, as partners of a brand, not as mere suppliers or external collaborators. Ours is a genuine participation in brand development and idea creation, and where others don't arrive, we try to do it. My motto? There are far fewer ideas than budgets! That's why I love to invest in professionals who, like me, know how to bring out that flash of genius, that flicker that can give personality and soul to what was just a thought until a little while before and is then transformed into content to be disseminated.
Of course, we do all this while respecting the vision of the owners, CEOs and creative directors of a brand. We stand by them, proactively and dynamically. Today, AFF can rely on prestigious headquarters, in Via Bigli, in the heart of Milan’s Fashion District, and on a staff of 15 people divided into three departments, interconnected and autonomous at the same time: one fashion and jewelry, one lifestyle, and one digital, available to the first two. When I am talking about lifestyle, I am referring to Italian and international excellences ranging from luxury hotellerie to fine dining and real estate. For 8 years we have been dealing, for example, with Italy Sotheby's International Realty, which, thanks to a series of our ad hoc media activities, has achieved +30% visibility. An important result for a client whose brand needs no introduction. The same for clients in the hospitality world, such as Hotel Sereno on Lake Como, with design by Patricia Urquiola, and historic Hotel Byron in Forte dei Marmi. Turning to another sector, it is enough to mention Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri, the parent company of the celebrated Sassicaia wine, to outline a decidedly high and ambitious profile in the food&beverage world as well. As for the jewelry world, after 8 years of collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels, brands such as Pasquale Bruni, Farnese Gioielli and Villa Milano, each in its own way an expression of unique Italian style, are now part of our portfolio. Pasquale Bruni with its collections knows how to convey passion and femininity. The Roman maison Farnese has been able to transform jewelry from static to dynamic, offering on the market pieces with an innovative imprint patented in 72 countries. Alice Villa, the last of the "dynasty" of Milanese jewelers, on the other hand, knows how to give her collections a twist that combines tradition and innovation, exploiting contemporary materials and stones that are never taken for granted. Finally, completing the rose of excellence is Verga, which for the Milanese is synonymous with haute horlogerie boutiques. In three generations spent just a stone's throw from the Duomo, in the historic boutique in Via Mazzini and now with the new pole in Gae Aulenti, Verga has been able to impose itself on the "square" in an increasingly exclusive sector, managing to gain the trust of both brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe and a Milanese and international public. Binding all these areas together is a mainstream, that of projects related to social responsibility and culture, which AFF supports and promotes through updated and innovative initiatives. These themes enthuse me and my entire team and allow us to create projects with a tone of voice that represent us and the brands that choose us.
This will be the future of AFF, projects for companies where content and positioning make the difference.
