Interview with Federico Marisio - Il Milanese Imbruttito
An alumnus of Sound Design in Milan, Federico Marisio is co-founder of 'Il Milanese Imbruttito'. Very popular in Italy, Il Milanese Imbruttito is a digital entertainment project that started as a satirical page and became a brand with a successful creative agency in content marketing.
Can you tell us about your career path?
My professional journey began in the frigid November of 2009. I had finished the IED that year and had just returned to Milan after an intense but fun season in Ibiza. Shortly afterwards, I got an interview at an audio post-production studio called Push Pull. I was immediately offered a job as a sound designer. Staying permanently in Milan was different from my idea, as my wish at the time was to move to Berlin. But, faced with the excellent opportunity offered - Push Pull was a renowned studio - it would be a great chance to learn. After all, I could have postponed my move to Germany for a year. But, as often happens in life, plans are overturned, and 13 years later, I am still in Milan, and very happily, I must say!
Working as a sound designer in Push Pull was an exciting experience. The studio mainly dealt with advertising, which allowed me to learn about both the post-production and marketing worlds. I discovered the dynamics of agencies, interfaced with clients, and knew all the behind the scenes of that world. All these notions and experiences would serve me well a few years later when we launched Il Milanese Imbruttito.
How was Il Milanese Imbruttito born? Can we say that IED had a hand in it?
Il Milanese Imbruttito was born after many years of careful and meticulous socio-linguistic and cultural observation of our times. No, I'm joking!
Il Milanese Imbruttito was born out of a hangover. Or rather, from an extreme and painful hangover! Tommaso and Marco, my current partners, were my colleagues in the studio where I worked. In March 2013, we decided to create, partly for fun and partly because we were still stunned by the fumes of alcohol, a Facebook page called 'Il Milanese Imbruttito'. At the time, we had yet to learn what the logic of Facebook pages was. We only wanted to create a space to poke fun at our Milanese friends, making fun of the ways of saying and doing of those who would later be called 'the Imbruttiti'.
Initially, we had no ambitions or goals other than to have a few laughs. When we realised that the page had reached 10,000 likes in just three days, we couldn't understand how it had been possible. We are talking about 10 years ago, but as far as social media is concerned, it seems like centuries ago. Just think that in 2013 there were no stories, no branded content, and no influencers. But fortunately for us, there was the concept of 'organic reach', which allowed us to reach millions of users within a couple of years without having spent a single euro. Good times, now just a distant memory.
And yes, we can say without hesitation that IED had a hand in the genesis of the Milanese Imbruttito. If I had not done IED, I probably would not have met the people with whom I founded the project. They are Tommaso Pozza and Marco De Crescenzio, my partners, fellow adventurers and friends. I met the former in the studio where I was hired, and there, my CV was sent by IED. While Marco was the best friend of one of the coursemates with whom I had bonded the most at IED. So, thank you, IED!
How do you see the future of creative professions in the current labour market?
With social networks, in addition to our interpersonal relationships, work dynamics have also changed, especially regarding creative jobs. In general, there is more meritocracy and connection. You can dialogue with previously difficult-to-reach realities and share and try to make your work known at no cost or with minimal investment. In addition, social networks have created new demands in various areas, including graphics, video, copy, editors, etc., and the need to create unique content. Clearly, a whole more traditional world continues and will continue to exist (OOH, TV and radio, to name a few). Still, social reality has undergone the most change in recent years. It is essential to be informed about it, to know its dynamics and above all, to be present in it. To be on the ball, as Mr Imbruttito would say.
Another important aspect is to multitask. The experience with 'Il Milanese Imbruttito' taught us the importance of being good at doing different things. We are now more structured, but initially, because we needed more strength to create a team, we covered about 15 jobs in three people. I was simultaneously a social media manager, copy, creative, art director, sound designer, video maker, account and several other things that I wouldn't even know how to define! We live in a historical moment where it is essential to have more skills. Specialising in one thing only, refusing to expand one's offerings, does not reward. There is increasing demand for hybrid figures, who can do more things, and this trend will continue.
What advice, human and professional, can you give those attending IED today or who recently graduated?
I attach myself to the last part of the previous answer. To be successful, you must broaden your background as much as possible, both in terms of knowledge and skills. In this way, you become much more relevant to the interlocutors with whom you will have to relate to starting your career.
On a human level, as a first thing, I would tell them not to set limits for themselves. Sometimes we don't do something because we think it won't work. It sounds trivial, but it often happens and is a mistake. Of the 1000 things you come up with, 999 may not work, but the one you get correct can be the turning point. Of course, to know this, you have to try and realise them. Otherwise, they will always remain only in your head. The second piece of advice is to get out of the house and meet as many people as possible! Networking is crucial: through events, chats, and gin and tonics, you can make valuable acquaintances for your future career. Milan is a very fertile and dynamic city. It has opened up and improved a lot in recent years. That is why it offers many opportunities to connect with stimulating people with whom you can work in synergy to develop exciting projects in many areas. At the end of the day, you can be the best director in the world, but if you're always locked in your room, you'll never get *** done!