Italian or Italian Sounding? Are You Being Duped?: A Talk by Robert Campana
Mon. Oct. 2, 2023 6pm on Zoom*
*If interested in joining, please write to fiorete@montclair.edu
Come learn about the differences between real and Italian-sounding food & beverages products. An Italian sounding product induces the consumer into erroneously associating the local product with the Italian one. This is done through the use of words, colors, images, and geographical references. Spreading awareness matters because it helps to inform and protect the consumer. Behind many Italian products, there is much more than just simple ingredients; there is tradition, history, and craftsmanship.
Robert Campana has a BA in Education at Montclair State University and is a certified Italian and Spanish high school teacher. In 2020, Robert earned a Master’s Degree in International Business from the Cattolica University of Milan, where he presented a research project on the economic impact of Italian-sounding cheeses in the US. This project inspired him to start “Stop Italian Sounding” – a social media initiative, recently turned LLC, whose mission is to educate consumers about how to recognize real Italian products vs. “Italian sounding” products through content marketing (storytelling and education) and affiliate marketing.
Organized and sponsored by the Inserra Endowed Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies at Montclair State University in conjunction with the ITAL 345 Special Topics Class, “From Focaccia to Farinata: Italian Food Culture”