CASE STUDY (HIGHLINE MILAN): communicating the opening of an iconic space and transforming it into a media event

Highline Milan is the panoramic walkway suspended over the rooftops of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, 40 meters above ground in the heart of Milan, with direct views of the Duomo and the rooftops of the historic center. The space includes unique environments such as the Hall of Clocks - accessible to the public for the first time in decades-and the rooftop viewing terrace.

Born as a walk reserved for insiders, Highline has been transformed-under the leadership of an under-35 team with a clear vision of positioning-into an urban cultural project: a place where architecture, history and perspective come together in an exclusive and authentic experience.

On Feb. 7, 2026, Highline Milan reopened to the public after a long period of renovation and space renewal, marking the start of a new design phase.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COLLABORATION

The collaboration with Disclosers began in October 2025 with the goal of preparing for the reopening and positioning Highline as a cultural and tourist landmark in Milan.

The strategy was structured around three key directions:

• Communicating the new course of the project: clearly tell what has changed-renovated spaces, new areas, updated proposal-restoring coherence and identity to the project.
• Generate qualified attention before opening: reactivate interest around the space, engaging press and creators in line with the positioning and building a concrete expectation before Feb. 7.
• Turning interest into real presence: Accompany the reopening with a flow of actual visits, fostering word-of-mouth, sharing, and continuity in the days and months that follow.

THE STRATEGY OF PR, MEDIA RELATIONS & INFLUENCER MARKETING

PR and Media Relations

The strategy was based on a real integration between traditional, Italian and international PR and Digital PR.

Previews dedicated to press and creators were the trigger point for the project: a shared moment from which the narrative started, then amplified in a coordinated way on different channels.

The operational plan provided:

• Goal planning: definition of project priorities, target audiences to engage, and activation structure to build a coherent path to reopening. At this stage, we intercepted the need to communicate, at first, the possibility of purchasing the early ticket for the event, i.e., an initial announcement of the reopening of the location and, later, the grand opening of the spaces, with a focus on the first exhibition that animated the location.
• Research and invite target profiles: identification and involvement of journalists and creators in line with Highline's positioning, intercepting all possible areas of interest (Milan, Art&Culture, Lifestyle, Architecture&Design, etc.).
• Press Releases and Media Pitch: the first official communication began in December, with the opening of the online ticket office, which allowed us to create an initial press release announcing the reopening of the venue. Then, through a second press release more focused on the exhibition, we invited the press identified as fully on target for the opening event, through customized pitches depending on the area of greatest interest of the target news outlet.
• Preview: initial moment of activation, in which press and creators experienced a preview of the renovated spaces. The event allowed us to bring HIGHLINE to life firsthand, giving the press a chance to speak with key players during a dedicated press conference and in 1-1 interview moments that unfolded throughout the day.
• Press publications: coverage in international, national and local newspapers that consolidated the relaunch of the space and defined the new positioning.
• Peak of attention in the opening: increased reservations and visits to the facility on the days of the reopening, generated by the buzz and concentration of conversations around the project.
• Organic Buzz: spontaneous conversations, tags and inquiries that fueled word of mouth and curiosity.

Influencer Marketing Strategy

Parallel to the media relations activity, a structured influencer marketing strategy was built with the goal of amplifying the narrative of the reopening through influential voices in Milan.

The selection of creators was purposeful, favoring profiles consistent with Highline's lifestyle and cultural positioning, with a mix between complementary niches:

• Travel and City Break (41.9%): creators who specialize in urban storytelling, experiences, and short trips have pointed to Highline as an essential stop for anyone visiting Milan;
• Lifestyle (33.3%): consumer profiles with wide audiences have turned Highline's location into aspirational content;
• Architecture and Design (12.9%): vertical creators who elevated the placement, focused on the architectural history of the Gallery and the restoration of the Clock Room;
• Arts, Culture and Photography (11.8%): these profiles attracted an educated and curious audience by talking about the exhibition inside the Hall of Clocks and the wonderful views of Milan that can be discovered from the rooftop.

The prevailing format was the Reel on Instagram, joined by carousels and videos on TikTok.

The preview event functioned as an activation lever: creators experienced the preview, generating spontaneous content that was then organically amplified in their respective communities.

Significant element: many creators spontaneously proposed to extend the story returning a second time for content with natural light, of Co-creating dedicated editorial formats exploiting the location as a set, and to activate memberships and referrals - signal that Highline is a project with which the creator identifies.

RESULTS.

RESULTS IN NATIONAL MEDIA

PR and Media Relations activities for the launch of the reopening of Highline Milano generated extensive and quality coverage, spread across national, local and trade publications.

More than 40 journalists, including 3 TV stations, participated in the press preview, guaranteeing widespread coverage: national thanks to the main generalist and trade newspapers, and local with a strong presence of Milan and Lombardy TV and newspapers. More than 30 articles and TV reports directly related to the press preview event testify to the media interest in an original and innovative project.

The distribution of publications saw a prevalence of national newspapers (43.2%), followed by Milan/Locals (33.3%) and others (23.5%), confirming the ability to preside over both national reference media and the Milan area.

RESULTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS

For international communication, the strategy focused on a targeted selection of travel and lifestyle media and journalists potentially interested in reporting on the opening and innovative concept of Highline Milano.

The invitation to the press preview enabled the on-site involvement of prominent international publications, such as Afar, and intercepted media of the caliber of the Financial Times, the Telegraph, and TTW (Travel and Tour World) interested in learning more about the news. Of note was the coverage in Surface Magazine and the feature on Afar.com, which headlined the opening as Star skywalk on one of Europe's most beloved landmarks.

SOCIAL MEDIA RESULTS AND CREATOR

Influencer marketing activity has generated a widespread and structured presence, with measurable impact on impressions, engagement and growth of Highline's proprietary channels.

The coverage spanned more than 200 Instagram Stories Live during the preview event and beyond 60 permanent contents (reels, carousels, and videos on TikTok) that ensured a long tail of visibility in the days following the opening.

Among the key content drivers, the highest-performing Reels individually reached between 400,000 and 700,000 views (Born to Live in Milan, Facts of Travel, simi.larity), with engagement rates as high as 7.8% for creators with communities particularly related to the theme.

Social activity has also contributed to a Significant spike in the growth of the official Instagram channel of Highline in the days of the preview and immediately following, with an increase of about +4,500 new followers during the period under consideration.

In parallel, Google Trends recorded organic search spikes for “Highline” on the dates of greatest influencer marketing and media publication activity related to the inauguration events (Jan. 28 and Feb. 4), confirming the direct correlation between PR/creator activity and actual public interest.

VISIBILITY ON TIER 1 WARHEADS AND QUALITATIVE VALUE OF COVERAGE

Presence in Tier 1 newspapers is one of the most significant indicators of the effectiveness of the strategy adopted. The Tier 1 media involved range from generalist reference press (Corriere della Sera, Repubblica, Il Sole 24 Ore, Vogue Italia) to national TV stations (TG5, TGR) up to international lifestyle titles (Afar, Surface, TTW). Also The Telegraph showed interest in the project enough to visit Highline with a view to a potential piece on the city's iconic places.

Publications in first-tier media were not episodic, but focused in a coordinated manner around the preview event and reopening week, maximizing narrative impact and the perception of a relevant and credible launch.

Particularly relevant was the project's ability to preside over media diverse in language and audience: from print generalist and topical to that lifestyle and fashion (Vogue, Esquire), from the local Milanese press (Corriere Milano, Repubblica Milano, Il Giorno) to the Large audience TV (TG5, TGR, Telelombardia), without losing narrative coherence.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The launch of the reopening of Highline Milan represents a case study of how Integrated PR and influencer marketing can amplify each other in a measured and consistent way. The decision to base the entire activation on a press preview shared between journalists and creators created a unique narrative moment, which was then simultaneously declined on all channels.

Coverage on Tier 1 warheads - from Vogue to Corriere della Sera, from TG5 to Rainews, to Afar internationally - is the direct consequence of a precisely constructed positioning: highline as an exclusive, culturally relevant and visually powerful experience.

On the creator front, the high rate of spontaneous involvement-creators proposing to return, developing editorial formats, activating affiliations-confirms that Highline is a project that can create a true identification, both with the creator and with the audience that follows him or her.Google Trends data, the organic growth of the Instagram channel (+4,500 followers in a few days), and the spike in bookings at the reopening confirm that PR and influencer marketing activity has translated media visibility into concrete interest and real visits, fully achieving all three strategic objectives of the collaboration.