La Dolce Vita University

An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A to Z

The Big Picture

“La Dolce Vita University” (LDVU) offers considerable market potential and extendibility as a book franchise, but also ultimately as an entire lifestyle, entertainment and educational brand.

Purchaser / Reader Prospects

La Dolce Vita University should be a book of broad and perennial interest both domestically and overseas (particularly in the U.K., Canada, Japan and China). It could sell as either an impulse or planned purchase to any of these prospects:

A.

all travelers to Italy: inveterate, first time (including foreign study students), and even “armchair” voyagers; plus high-end tour and cruise operators

Italophiles, to deepen their love and broaden their understanding of Italian culture

“lifestyle” audiences with a keen interest in fashion, cuisine, personalities and travel

culturally curious “toe dippers” open to a friendly and easy entree to Italian culture

ethnic Italians looking to explore and more fully appreciate their cultural roots

gift givers for any of the above

Targeting-wise, LDVU has numerous advantages since there are myriad Italian travel, heritage and language teacher affiliation groups, organizations and businesses that can be marketed to and with whom alliances can be forged. Below is a sampling of initial possibilities.

Marketing Alliances / Speaking Engagements / Special Distribution Opportunities

Italophiles, the Italian-American community and heritage groups

National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) – the largest and most influential; one of the Board Members is close to the author's family

National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW). The author is an active member and friendly with the Founder and Chairwoman Emeritus Dr. Aileen Sirrey; NOIAW is headquartered in NY but there are local chapters in all major cities on the east coast

Westchester Italian Cultural Center (founded by Genovese Pope) – the author is well connected there and has done culinary programs for them in the past and they will surely be willing to sponsor an event to promote LDVU

Similar opportunities in Philadelphia area (through the author's friends and family contacts - she was born and raised in Philadelphia and her extended family resides there)

Other prominent Italian-American heritage organizations with large local chapters in the NE corridor, Chicago and West Coast; these include:

The Order of the Sons of Italy (OSIA)

The Italian American Studies Association (IASA)

Museo Italo-Americano, San Francisco

The author has “two degrees of separation” from Lidia Bastianich, Mario Batali, Stanley Tucci (his mother has written advance praise for the book already) and Chaz Palmiteri.

B. Bulk Sales

Boutique Travel companies, especially active travel companies with major tour operations in Italy: Ciclismo Classico; Backroads; Butterfield & Robinson; DuVine; VBT; Experience Plus; Food, Stories, Travel; Travels Across Italy; Trek Tours; etc.

Larger escorted tour operators such as Perillo Tours and Go Ahead Tours

Major cruise lines servicing the Mediterranean

Companies (and their US Importers and Distributors) with brands mentioned in the book, such a Nutella, Amaretto, Lavazza Café, Fragelico, Nonini Grappa

C. Educational Venues and Opportunities

Lecture series at Pace University’s Continuing Education Program sponsored by Professor Sclafani

Other adult / continuing education venues
- For example, the author is tentatively scheduled for an LDVU presentation and book signing at Main Line School Night in Philadelphia as part of their Spring 2018 offerings – they mail a catalogue to 70,000 high income suburban Philadelphia residents (their Italian language classes are among their most popular)
- The author is also tentatively scheduled for an LDVU presentation and book signing at Chappaqua Library as part of their Spring 2018 calendar of events (this is a surprisingly large venue that attracts major speakers). She is well known in the community, having owned and operated one of the area’s most popular restaurants for nearly a decade.
- Italian language schools, e.g., in NYC, Scuolo Italiana Parliamo – where LDVU can be used for educational enhancement and/or translation content - Supplemental resource for high school Italian classes – ideally to become part of the lesson plan – the essays would lend themselves brilliantly to translation assignments - Preliminary exploration has shown that Italian language teachers are well networked here in the US as well as in Canada and Australia; the author has some reasonably good connections here.

C. Channels of distribution beyond traditional and independent bookstores

Eataly (the author has a strong connection here – and specific to the Eataly retail operation – different from her connection to Lidia and Batali)

Airport and train station bookstores

Art museum bookstores (she has connections that could help with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Philadelphia Museum of Art)

Specialty retailers such as Williams Sonoma and gourmet food retailers, e.g., on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, San Francisco’s North Beach, Napa & Sonoma winery gift stores

Specialty gift shops

College bookstores

Website / Photo-Newsletter Blog — Ongoing Platform for Building and Reinforcing an Audience Relationship

LaDolceVitaU.com( and LDVU.com)
To serve as the book website and be linked to Postcards for the Boot which will be the on-going promotional vehicle and provider of value added content and audience inter-activity

PostcardsfromtheBoot.com
A co-venture between LDVU and the boutique tour company Cicilismo Classico which has an existing mailing list of 36,000+ subscribers. The author continues to maintain an email relationship with close to 3,000 guests from her former restaurant (which closed in June 2016) who are looking forward to her next venture – the upcoming publication of this book.
Postcards from the Boot will take the form of a photo-newsletter/blog; over time she hopes to take paid advertisers
She anticipates hiring an experienced book publicist (Kelly Leonard) to help with LDVU’s digital marketing program
Postcards from the Boot will also have links to Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

La Dolce Vita University "Brand" Extensions

Merchandise based on LDVU’s distinctive memorable name and iconic cover and or interior illustrations: Aprons, potholders, tote bags, kitchen towels, coaster mugs and related ceramics, table linens etc.(design and market via Zazzle and LDVU/Postcards websites and blog to begin).

“Edu-taining” merchandise / gift items

LDVU Discovery cards – playing card size, deck with 52 fun facts; similar to a party game or party favor

LDVU coasters (featuring an interesting wine or adult beverage fun fact)

"Parliamo" vocabulary cards with an illustration of the word on one side and the phonetic pronunciation and “translation” on the back with cute blackboard and fanciful “professor” (Arlecchino) graphics

Bring La Dolce Vita University to Life
Syndicated 5 minute mini LDVU program (already in preliminary discussions on this)
La Dolce Vita “U” Tours in alliance with an existing operator
Theatrical / musical adaptation