At the end of a successful Rugby World Cup in terms of organization, and with the approach of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the government intends to bounce back from its major events to highlight France’s successes at the stranger. An international communications campaign, developed in collaboration with Publicis and supported by various personalities, begins this week. Olivier Becht, Minister Delegate in charge of Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, reveals the outlines to L’Express.
L’Express: What are the expectations of this campaign?
Olivier Becht : The reflection, under the aegis of the President of the Republic, began several years ago. The idea is to capitalize on France’s newfound attractiveness: we have become the country that attracts the most foreign investment in Europe, ahead of Germany and the United Kingdom.
This first place is not only the result of a context favorable to France. The reduction in production taxes, administrative simplification measures, reforms on the labor market, the reindustrialization strategy and that carried out in terms of energy and ecological transition, the place now occupied by Paris, ahead of the City of London, as epicenter of European finance, our 20,000 start-ups, soon our 30 unicorns, all of this contributes to giving France a new influence that we wish to illustrate through a signature, “Make a mark. Choose France” in the countries French speakers, and “Make it iconic. Choose France” in English.
The signature of this campaign will be spread this week in airports and business districts in Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, India and the United States.
© / DR
France is a country full of talent: we must be proud of what we are, of what we do, and make it known. This campaign, at the initiative of the President of the Republic, designed by the SIG, the Government Information Service, allows us to raise the values of France outside our borders: the freedom-equality-fraternity triptych of course. , but also excellence, creativity, inclusion. The “French spirit”, in short.
Who is she talking to ?
We target economic decision-makers. From next week, this signature will be displayed in the international press, airports, business districts and on the buildings of our representations abroad: embassies, institutes, etc. It will be the subject of a digital version and a presence in all French pavilions during major international trade fairs. A film will also be unveiled in the first half of 2024, in the run-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
We are focusing our efforts, initially, on Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, India and the United States, with the ambition of increasing investments from these countries to France, but also to attract some of their talents. Over the coming months, this communication will be deployed in around ten other countries. The United Kingdom estimates that the “Britain is GREAT” campaign, launched in 2012 during the London Olympic Games, brought it very significant economic benefits. It’s up to us to do as much, or even better.
Kylian Mbappé, Philippe Starck and Thomas Pesquet are among the personalities chosen to embody this message. What do they have in common?
Audacity! Young chef Mory Sacko, who earned his first Michelin star just a few months after opening his restaurant, is also on the list. As well as Sophie Adenot, lieutenant-colonel of the Air and Space Force, first woman helicopter test pilot, who became an astronaut, in 2022, within the European Space Agency. And there will be many more to come; the list is open! Each and everyone, in their specialty, will be able to embody this French success which is a dream all over the world.
What is the budget for the operation?
This campaign is intended to extend over several years, with a budget adapted to needs. We wanted to ensure that many things were carried out internally, by state services, as with each communication campaign. But this campaign is above all an investment for the future and the economic benefits will be there.