Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – In a context marked by geopolitical instability, economic crises, social polarization, and technological acceleration, communication is changing its role: persuasion is no longer enough; it is necessary to guide, take responsibility, and demonstrate consistency. This is one of the key reflections that emerged during the 2026 Communications Forum, organized in collaboration with Assolombarda and hosted at Palazzo Giò Ponti in Milan.
The proceedings were opened by Alvise Biffi, President of Assolombarda, Valentina Garavaglia, Rector of IULM University, and Elena Pedrazzini, Vice President of the Media, Communications and Entertainment Group and President of Assolombarda's Corporate Communications Services section.
During the official greetings, the need to profoundly rethink the role of contemporary communication emerged. In particular, Rector Valentina Garavaglia emphasized the value of a language capable of generating dialogue between stakeholders, rather than creating divisions, emphasizing how governing communication today represents a truly democratic and cultural challenge.
Communication that doesn't fuel polarization, but rather exercises a "leadership of hope," capable of offering direction amidst complexity. The picture that emerged from the various discussions reveals a profound transformation: the amount of content and information available is growing, but implicit trust in brands and organizations is diminishing. This isn't the end of trust, but the end of automatic trust.
Every message is verified, compared, and subjected to continuous scrutiny by an increasingly informed and selective audience.
Throughout the day, it became clear that communication can no longer be limited to building perception or seeking visibility, but must generate relevance, connection, and direction. During the talk "Policy Voice | Anticipating the Crisis: The Strategic Value of Communication," Francesca Baldini (Weber Shandwick), Federico Cavallo (Altroconsumo), Cristina Parenti (Edison), and Arturo Varvelli (European Council on Foreign Relations) highlighted how communication today represents a key lever in risk and crisis management. In increasingly complex and interconnected environments, managing communication means reducing ambiguity, preventing escalations, and building languages capable of generating dialogue rather than divisions. The topic of authenticity and the relationship between organizations and stakeholders also loomed large.
In the "Impact Voice | Brand Conversation" format, moderated by Sara Mazzocchi (Storyfactory), Walter Bruno (Humanitas), Chiara Carotenuto (PwC Italia), and Lucia Lafuenti (Fater), they emphasized how storytelling can no longer be limited to narrative but must become a credible and consistent tool for building relationships over time. In an ecosystem characterized by fragmented attention and information overload, it's not the quantity of content that makes the difference, but its ability to be perceived as authentic and relevant. This shift is also reflected in the evolution of the contemporary consumer.
In the "Consumer Voice" session, held in collaboration with Altroconsumo and B2You and coordinated by Giovanni Sacchitelli, Head of Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement at For Human Relations, Federico Cavallo and Benedetta De Michelis explored the role of an increasingly active, informed, and information-driven audience, including during the purchasing process. The discussion revealed that trust is no longer an implicit brand attribute, but the result of a continuous validation process. Listening thus becomes a strategic lever: not a stylistic exercise, but a necessary condition for building authentic and lasting relationships between companies and consumers. The Communications Forum 2026, together with over 200 C-level executives from the Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs areas, thus portrays a communication style increasingly less focused on building consensus and increasingly focused on demonstrating consistency between messages, behaviors, and real-world impact. In a time marked by war, instability, and profound transformations, communication once again assumes an essential function: helping people, organizations, and institutions interpret complexity without artificially simplifying it.
Main media partner: Adnkronos. Official partners: B2You, Altroconsumo, Spencer & Lewis, Storyfactory. Content partners: Dicto Ai, Sailing Challenge, Volocom. Forum partners: Datapizza, Fma hub, The Fool, Weber Shandwick, Wh Factory. Media partners: Euroborsa, Fasi.eu. The event was held in collaboration with Assolombarda. The sessions will soon be published on www.comunicazioneitaliana.tv
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