This session explores brand authenticity, one of the most powerful, and most overused, levers in building a company's value and distinctiveness. As appeals to authenticity become increasingly widespread, understanding its actual meaning and managerial implications is essential, particularly for Italian companies, which are often closely tied to their founder, their corporate history and their territory, and are called upon to preserve and renew their identity heritage over time.

Starting from what makes a brand authentic, the session examines the main levers through which authenticity can be built, communicated and sustained: from name to product, from communication to brand experience, through to the role of corporate museums. Drawing on some of Italy's most iconic brands, it looks at how a strong identity heritage, when well managed, can become a strategic asset and a lasting source of brand equity.

By the end of the session, participants will have gained insight into:

• What makes a brand authentic, and which elements determine its credibility over time
• The link between brand equity and brand authenticity as a source of value
• Brand management tools for safeguarding authenticity: name, product, communication
• How to preserve and renew the identity heritage of the founder and the company over time, turning it into a strategic asset and a lasting source of distinctiveness.