Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy

Communication for an institution and a society that are going places

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy (CELI) is an ecclesiastical body that presides over 15 communities, from Italy’s toe to its top.

Over several years, BMP has conceived, planned and implemented a complete communication strategy – delivered through diverse but complementary initiatives – to forge a shared identity between the geographic communities of the Church and to elevate its overall visibility within Italian society. 

The latter objective was particularly pressing in light of the fact that CELI, a minority entity with no large assets, survives partly thanks to the Italian “Eight per Thousand” law, which allows tax payers to choose a recognised religion to which to contribute a compulsory 0.8% of their annual income tax.

BMP thus set to work to demonstrate CELI’s commitment not only to saving souls, but to its many other activities too – culture, health care, help for the poor and for migrants, environmental education, gender equality, diversity and the fight against discrimination, and participation in ethical, religious and political debate.

To this end, BMP delivered and managed:

  • The central and local CELI press office
  • The redesign and editorial coordination of its official magazine (the bimonthly Miteinander-Insieme)
  • Conception and production of promotional videos
  • Composition and production of radio advertising
  • Development of internal communications
  • Third-party briefing documents (e.g. for the development of the Church’s website and the graphical restyling of the Church’s official magazine)
  • Media planning activities
  • Training events at central and local level, for both lay members of the church and representatives from its pastoral body

Thanks to BMP’s consultancy services,  from a media point of view, CELI and its representatives have gained visibility in:

 – National TV channels (e.g. Rai 3 Le Storie con Corrado Augias, SkyTG24, TV2000, Rai News24, etc.)

– National radio broadcasters (Giornale radio di Rai Radio 1, Caterpillar di Rai Radio 2, Incontri di Radio24, etc.)

– National dailies and their supplements (Il Venerdì di Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, Avvenire, L’Unità, etc.)

– Online titles (repubblica.it, ilfattoquotidiano.it, etc.)

– Press agencies (ANSA, AdnKronos, AgenSIR, ASCA)– Regional dailies and TV/radio broadcasters (Il Messaggero, La Nuova Venezia, La Nazione, L’Arena, Rai TGR, Videolina, etc.).

Holger Milkau

Dean of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy

From a public relations agency, I expect a personal rapport, understanding of the objectives, advice on how to communicate better and genuine empathy with the client’s way of thinking. BMP succeeds in satisfying all these requirements perfectly.

To work alongside an institution like ours takes sensitivity, intelligence and an ability to identify suitable news hooks to make our public image more understandable and more widely known. In addition, BMP has a sympathetic way of relating to people and involving others in the conversation. In short, if I had to evaluate them, I’d say BMP deliver work that is well executed, targeted, and on the mark!