What kind of communicator will you be in 2020? The We Are COM team reveals its top trends for a year focused on "generous communication." If you tick all 5 boxes, congratulations: you have every chance of being voted "Communicator of the Year" by your peers. So in 2020… aim for a perfect score! 😀 Come on, we're sharing our cheat sheets to help you sweep all the best communication awards in France: from the Grands Prix Stratégies in Paris to the Trophées de la COM du Sud-Ouest in Bordeaux, and the Deauville Green Awards.
✅ Trend #1 As a communicator, I will be a surprising storyteller.
I promise to be original from conception to distribution with perfect execution
« Our animal species is what it is only because it tells itself stories » Michel Foucault pointed this out. And you know what? This is also true for brandsWhen it captures the right audience, seizes the right channel, and uses the right codes… the story hits home and we believe it!
Elior understood this well, by proposing an exceptional cybersecurity campaign. Hacking Diner (Brainsonic agency) literally tricks the employees of the catering group with a fake movie trailer for a release in France. The device is stunningly realistic.So much so that foreign colleagues were wondering about the release date back home! The icing on the cake: the reveal by the Director of Security himself.
In a more traditional style, history is written and displayedThis is the successful gamble of Pavillon France, which, thanks to the writing of Philippe Claudel – with the new Erasure —and a subway poster (bigger than a whale!) loudly proclaims his passion for fishing (Les Gros Mots agency). Personally, this ad really got me going… (fishing, of course!)
And what about video in all of this? BIC has managed to convince us: The annual report is definitely a creative opportunity. With " #Made for… (La Nouvelle / Aristophane agencies), we delve straight into the brand's graphic history. The result is as brilliant as it is glossy!
The team bonus
We are in awe of Accor's identity overhaul (Brand Image agency). An absolutely high-end renaissance that tells the story of a turning point in the Group's history, revealed in gold lettering signed by the CEO and placed on the desk of every employee.
✅ Trend #2 As a communicator, I will be a discreet facilitator.
I promise to facilitate the encounter… and to make myself small, very small
What if face-to-face interaction remained the human factor in communication in 2020? A true keystone in the era of digitalThe collective is not just about speaking in public. It's about inviting others to showcase their value to everyone, instead of monopolizing the conversation for their own self-interest.
Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs has succeeded in its gamble, relying on local ambassadors to enhance each stage of its customer journey. A bold way toincrease engagement through social proof in an ultra-competitive sector.
And when it's not the clients, it's our employees, the darlings! Whether it's Veolia with #WeAreResourcers (Havas Paris) or the FNTP with #HonestlyRespect (TBWACorporate) The employer brand is resolutely externally focused while valuing the internal: the talents. Simple and effective. So, " we highlight "As we say at BIC!"
On a different note, we were amazed by the exhibition Behind the Game from Ubisoft regarding the game Assassin's Creed. It's quite clever to engage your fan community through your experts!
But the unmissable phenomenon in 2020 is of course the 2rd The world's search engine: YouTube. Yes indeed… Renault, La Banque Postale, Lidl Cuisine and so many others are coming to life on YouTube, thanks to a new kind of presenter: these YouTubers invited onto the brands' channels. After all, the encounter is also a matter of trust.
The team bonus
We applaud the richness and ambition of theExtraordinary Factory at the Grand Palais, a complete and well-oiled event to promote industry careers to young audiences (Hopscotch agency).
✅ Trend #3 As a communications professional, I will be a spokesperson for commitment.
I promise to make my brand desirable through its societal impact.
No more old-school web page hidden in the "Our Commitment" section. In 2020, social actions are co-created with marketing to make a lasting impression of very real, very concrete actions.
We remember Save Our Species Lacoste, which played on the scarcity of polo shirts to raise awareness about endangered species. This year, Nature & Découvertes hijacked Black Friday to make it a Fair friday (Disko agency). The clever analogy between price reductions and cash discounts generated 3 million contacts and made it possible to fund 4 major biodiversity causes.
And when it comes to defending a profession, communication needs to be embodied. Greta Thunberg had better watch out for the young Victor who, at only 20 years old, travelled across France to have the art of butchery inscribed on UNESCO's intangible world heritage list. Extraordinary results for a media budget of only… €2.734! (Glory Paris agency)
In 2020, the commitment is definitely present. including in the most unexpected sectors With "Dirtiest Porn Ever," Pornhub is raising awareness about ocean cleanup through a very personal production. (Editor's note: We'll let you find the link 😉)
The team bonus
We laughed at the Val Thorens raclette chairlift system...which humorously reminds everyone of the safety instructions on the slopes, thanks to the active mobilization of the operational staff. A nice April Fool's joke!
✅ Trend #4 As a communicator, I will be a creator of immersive experiences.
I promise to invent the relationship of the future through digital technology.
Previously, the goal was to integrate digital technology everywhere. Today, it's becoming a whole; intelligent, human, and user-friendly. Experiences are being upgraded and multiplied. Brands are breaking free from the dictates of commerce and infusing memories, real ones.
To mark Asterix's 60th anniversary, La Poste invited its online users to a social banquet among Gauls (Dunk agency!). A 100% live gamification, replacing the traditional Follow + RT, which encouraged participants to tweet as many times as possible to stay at the table. The ROI? A trending topic #HappyBirthdayAsterix bringing together more than 13,000 Twitter users in one evening.
The experience also provides an opportunity to connect one-to-one. With La French Touch by Martell (L'Associé agency) transforms its packaging into a virtual reality headset. And voilà! We discover the production of Martell Cognac from a bird's-eye view.
Immersion galore! When ArianeGroup As a rocket launch is being prepared, the public is invited to be part of history with a large H-tag (Sweet Punk agency). A 360° experience, with rocket photobombs and augmented reality launches.
The team bonus
We clicked and clicked again when the company RTE called at Electric travelA reading experience resembling a 3D game to explain the group's strategic directions.
✅ Trend #5 As a communicator, I will be an empathetic interlocutor.
I promise to speak the truth to you, the audience.
It cannot be repeated enough: our 1st Our audience is our source of inspiration.In times of distrust, speaking the truth is a vital function of branding. Out with institutional jargon, timid and demagogic speeches. Organizations that dare to speak out gain ground through their credibility.
A bold move for Planète Enfants & Développement. By targeting the stingy, racist, and chauvinistic, The association encourages donations by taking a contrarian approach. : the wrong reason to give (Brainsonic agency). The campaign did not go unnoticed and directed users to a dedicated website formally listing 1.000 good reasons to donate.
On the prevention front, we were really excited about the campaign #StopTrainSurfing (We Are Social agency) to raise awareness about the dangers of the high-risk practice of clinging to moving trains. While Elior managed to trick its employees, the RATP (Paris public transport operator) fooled young social media users who are particularly fond of train surfing. The Instagram stories of Johan, a Freerunner influencer, helped spread a very clear message about the dangers of this practice. Interestingly: The almost confidential campaign managed to reach almost its entire target audience on social media! In short: totally compatible.
The team bonus
We enjoyed dissecting this complicit poster from L'Equipe using associations of ideas to establish its new baseline "All united by sport" (DDB Paris).
In conclusion ?
If you want to be the good student, the one who will receive the jury's congratulations at the end of the year, Our best advice for the 2020 trends is to tick all the boxes… and tick none of them!
Think outside the box! The best campaigns are those that take a creative, editorial stance, that speak accurately and boldly to their audience, using their channels in a perfect execution of the "big idea". Communication is a whole; and you are encouraged to invent and reinvent your own. Period. : )
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