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By
Lorenza Cerbini October 20, 2002
NEW YORK. Internet chapter three. In the wake of
the precipitous rise and fall of the dot coms, many internet-based
companies are currently facing turbulent times--and an uncertain
future. "The new dot com mentality is much more reality-based"
said John Battista De Santis, co-founder of Webb Communications
(www.sitespan.com),
a new media agency that has gained the trust of many Italian
companies looking for their share of the ever-growing American
market. Braving the tough economic climate that has besieged
much of the online world, Webb Communications is
at work building the bridge between Italy and the United
States. "Our company focuses on on-line marketing and
on developing internet strategies for our clients,"
explained De Santis from his 37th Street offices overlooking
the Empire State Building.
"While
a good online presence is necessary in order for Italian
firms to be present in the U.S. market, it is absolutely
essential to develop a new media campaign to maximize results.
On-line promotion, presence on search engines, email campaigns,
and effective database development are all critical elements
of a successful new media strategy that delivers."
Possessed
with Italian creativity and American ingenuity, De Santis
got his start in the trenches of various new media firms
in New York and at the United Nations, before eventually
teaming up with Webb Communications founder Steven
Collins. Now after six years, they count the Italian
Trade Commission in New York among their many satisfied
clients. "Webb Communications was recently charged
with redesigning and developing a site for the Italian Trade
Commission," explained De Santis. "This is how
www.partnership-usa.com
was born. The site provides economic investment and market
indicators to Italian companies looking to expand to the
U.S. It contains a vast data base for each of the 50 states
reporting demographic data, economic indicators, tax and
financial initiatives, and the cost of doing business."
Webb Communications has also collaborated with the
Milan Chamber of Commerce in the U.S., launching
a U.S. media plan for the Chamber's online Artisan Initiative.
This an interesting web portal which showcases a myriad
of home furnishings, fashion, and giftware created by artists
located throughout the Milan area. This project exemplifies
Webb's ability to take these unique and highly-skilled Italian
artisans and present them to the U.S. consumer and trade.
Regarding
development of his company, De Santis has targeted various
mid-level projects. "A few years ago, developing new
media agency business meant going after projects of $500,000
and above. That was the dot com mentality. Now everything
has changed. Large companies have tightened their belts
and we find the midsized companies to be a more viable source
of business." This strategy fits in well with the Italian
market where a large proportion of companies are midsized.
Businesses such as travel agencies, restaurants, and importers
have made up a significant portion of Webb's current
clientele. For example the restaurants of Emilio Barletta,
Trattoria Dopo Teatro, Cascina, and Zanzibar have enjoyed
effective results from the web sites and the on-line promotion
campaigns developed by Webb. Their success in working with
these restaurants has helped pave the way for Barletta's
new start-up project, DiningCertificates.
com.
Founded
in 1996, Webb has managed to avoid the "crash
and burn" effect that has plagued so many other dot
coms by maintaining a solid foundation--a foundation that
they now are now reinforcing and even expanding upon across
the Atlantic. "We have built a solid foot-hold in Europe
through close collaboration with our partner in Milan, Biz2000
Consultants," explained De Santis. "In addition,
we opened an office in Barcelona this past summer. We are
expanding and continuing to develop our presence in the
Italian new media market. In fact, we are currently developing
a web site for America & Italia Weekly (www.aiweekly.com),
a new American weekly magazine." Written in English
and distributed in the U.S., America & Italia Weekly
focuses on Italy and Italian issues in America with an emphasis
on politics and business. It is a fitting client for a company
like Webb Communications, who daily bridges the gap
between Italy and the U.S. as well.
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John
Battista De Santis
Partnership-USA
Website
ArtisanExpo
AI
Weekly
Dining
Certificates
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