Giorgio Soffiato, Marketing Arena

Curated by VSM Alumni, June 2025

Giorgio, let’s start from your background. What did your studies in management in Venice leave you, and how did they influence the choices that led you to found Marketing Arena and to lead it over time?
The study path was fundamental. The truth is that after high school one knows little to nothing; I was about to enroll in law. Then a friend told me about the opportunity to study marketing in the most beautiful city in the world, and I realized it would be something interesting. I believe the influence that later led to Marketing Arena was substantial; it wouldn’t exist without the two theses I worked on with Stefano Micelli and a program at the Venice International University. I think I carry with me a method, and that’s the most important thing.

The B2B Marketing Observatory, a collaboration between the Venice School of Management and Marketing Arena, has reached its fourth edition. What are the main findings of the latest research, and how do these reflect the evolution of digital strategies in Italian B2B companies?
The observatory, designed with Vladi Finotto and Cinzia Colapinto and the entire VSM, is a little “gem” in the ecosystem of Marketing Arena—and I believe also of VSM. Under the expert guidance of Cinzia and the whole team, we now obtain high-quality data and engage with companies of every level. This year’s report is very clear: customer journey and AI are topics on the table in our companies, but there is still a long way to go. More than awareness, what’s lacking are resources and skills.

What is your vision of marketing today? In a rapidly changing context, what role do you think marketing can and should have in creating value, not only for companies but also for society?
In my view, marketing is simply bringing a product to a market. I don’t think marketing should be burdened with responsibilities that aren’t its own, like improving society. It’s a social and economic science in service of management. However, the point is the evolution of marketing, which today cannot ignore social impact for two reasons: the first is linked to the role of sustainability and culture in companies. The second is that many of the products marketing promotes are not tied to profit-making organizations. Fundraising marketing, for example, is a highly sought-after skill today.

Your work blends strategic vision, data culture, and creative capacity. How can one build B2B marketing that is both analytical and human, capable of creating relationships and real value for clients?
Building a marketing project focused on analysis starts with culture and competence. Having a working model, a framework, is essential. In B2B, the complexity lies in a longer, more varied, and more complex purchasing journey. I believe that value generation comes precisely from relationships. Post-COVID, we’ve learned that everything changes—even the trade shows that B2B used to love so much. That’s why we need to build a new customer-oriented marketing mix, where digital is certainly central, but the relational element must never be lost.

What skills and mindsets do you consider essential for new generations of marketing professionals who want to stand out and make a real impact in the field?
In three words: flexibility, culture, and a multidisciplinary approach. I work in digital marketing, but the two skills I’m focusing on most are strategic marketing and the sociology of consumption. We need to broaden the scope of our knowledge and perspective to stand out from the “tactical” professionals who are now well-trained in short courses. The value of a university path lies precisely in method, strategy, and culture. Curiosity and seeing the world will do the rest. I always tell my students that a six-month delay in graduating will not ruin a path of excellence—on the contrary, simply keeping your head down and grinding through books won’t pay off. You need to be modern, curious, and open to change.

Those studying today at the Venice School of Management often dream of a future in business, innovation, and strategic vision. What advice would you give to someone who wants to build a solid and inspired professional path in this direction?
My advice is not to be dazzled by so-called “buzzwords.” Words like startup and scaleup are great, but we won’t all be selling t-shirts online. That’s why it’s essential to use university to understand what you truly love. Working in B2B or B2C, or even in different sectors, completely changes the structure of your work. Over time I’ve discovered that places I once found iconic, like football teams, are just companies like others—and conversely, a seemingly “boring” B2B company can be a hotbed of innovation. I think university should be used above all to catalyze relationships. Each course should be seen as a bell curve with a before and after the peak: every guest, every book cited should be taken as inspiration. I’ve had the privilege of teaching two contract courses between 2024 and 2025, and I’ve realized that we professors too must innovate in methods and assessments. The truth is that a new social pact is needed between those lucky enough to sit at the lectern and the students. University will become increasingly “costly,” not in economic terms. We’re faced with a place that distills knowledge and serves it gradually, compared to AI, which reduces its value to zero. Should we be afraid? No. But what is needed—for VSM as for any university—is brand, reputation, competence, and value. Today, this school embodies all of that, and I’m proud to be among its alumni. The challenge to keep the bar high is steep. But it is a wonderful time to be an entrepreneur and to study marketing.

Giorgio Soffiato’s experience shows how important it is to approach marketing with a critical, curious, and aware mindset, going beyond fleeting trends to rediscover the value of method, culture, and authentic relationships. His path—which intertwines academic education, teaching, and ongoing dialogue with the business world—offers valuable inspiration to students and alumni of the Venice School of Management: building a solid and meaningful career is possible when one nurtures the ability to learn deeply, interpret change, and always place the evolution of the profession and the value of human connections at the center.