Pardon Our French: A Brit’s Year in French Advertising

Since joining, we’ve had the chance to create work for Citroën (The Revolution Has Begun), Epica (You can’t judge for us) and Canal + International (The Decision). With a very fun campaign for music streaming platform Deezer on its way…

However if we’re being honest, the greatest revelation hasn’t been about French brands or our actual work. The real 'wow' factor has been the unique experience of working with les Français in their own backyard. 

It’s no secret that the British and the French have a historical rivalry. Whilst Paris and London are polar opposites in many ways, the two countries are more similar than is often acknowledged. It's like most sibling relationships. Will we attempt to murder each other over half a cookie? Yes. Will we take bullets for each other? Also yes… (two world wars show that).

Here are five things we’ve observed along the way. 

1. Say it to my face 

In the UK, you might get a polite “Oh, interesting,’’... ‘’Maybe’’... or “Let’s circle back on that” - British code for “that’s the worst thing I’ve seen in my life.” In France, if an idea’s codswallop, they’ll tell you right there, without the sugar coating. And honestly? It’s refreshing. French meetings are essentially a no-holds-barred arena where ideas are torn down or applauded in real-time. People speak their minds freely, and instead of bruising egos, it clears the air. When the meeting ends, problems are solved, and everyone’s on the same page, ready to move forward.

The Brits could use a bit more of this blunt approach - sometimes we get so bogged down in courtesy that nothing gets decided. The French, on the other hand, have mastered the art of being brutally direct, a skill I’ve come to appreciate (after I’ve wiped away the tears). 

 As they say in Paris: if you don’t like it, tant pis - tough luck.

2. Make the best work of your life and have a life 

In Britain, we’re no strangers to the classic desk lunch - cold sandwich in one hand, spreadsheet in the other. Meanwhile, our French colleagues treat lunchtime as sacred time. This is not just about taking a break; it’s about actually living. And oddly enough, the work still gets done. And it's good. More than good. France recently overtook the U.K in the WARC creativity rankings for the first time. Do we put this down to chit-chat and a two course lunch everyday? Yes we do. Well lunch and 40+ annual leave days a year. 

3. Adult Supervision 

It’s well documented that French companies are more hierarchical than British companies; whilst we can confirm this is true, we’ve discovered this to be more of a blessing than a curse. Advertising is mostly a young person's game, with less than 10% of the workforce above 45 years old. At BETC, this skewers more towards 25%-30%; well above the industry norm. Candidly, it’s refreshing to have more adults in the room. Adults that can sell your ideas with the weight of their experience and authority. 

4. Craft Craft Craft 

In Britain, most junior creatives are thrown into the deep end, expected to come up with big ideas right from the start, often relying on designers and other specialists to bring their concepts to life. In France? They take a decidedly different approach, almost like a creative apprenticeship that would make a Jedi Master proud.

French juniors master the art from the ground up. They learn typography, layout, colour, and copy finesse under the guidance of seasoned creatives, so by the time they’re promoted, they’re true artisans who don’t need to hand off their ideas - The result? French campaigns that aren’t just conceptual but meticulously crafted. 

5. No traffic jams 

(Okay so this one is very BETC-specific as opposed to French-specific.. sue us). The job of the traffic manager (or now commonly called resource manager or project manager) is a often a thankless one. Usually one poor soul dedicated to allocation and finding the bodies needed to see a project through. They are often feared, loathed and loved by creatives all in the same breath. “I have a great opportunity’’ met with delight and suspicion. Not at BETC. 

Here it is an art form, with 20 traffic managers (all women) devoted to evaluate and protect the time it takes to produce creative work and the 300+ creatives making it, ensuring that no detail is neglected. 

We have the space and time to do the work. We can breathe. British agencies would be wise to respect and heighten this discipline as much as BETC do. 

… 

So, what have we learned from a year in French advertising? Quite a bit, really. Whilst we might have our rivalries and differences, there is one common language that everyone speaks at BETC Paris; the desire to do great work. 

You should swing by for an espresso and croissant sometime.