What if fiction shed light on our communication expertise? 📺 The TV series communicators, always passionate, often overwhelmed and sometimes a little clichéd, give us valuable lessons about our profession.
What are theTop 10 Lessons to Learn from TV Characters On the agenda: storytelling, strategy, and self-deprecation. Action! 🎬
#1 – Olivia Pope – Scandal
An expert in crisis management, both politically and personally, Olivia is a methodical communicator. She anticipates, controls, and protects her clients in a rather radical manner.
Olivia's COM lesson? Crisis communication can't be improvised! In an emergency, it's preparation and speed of execution that make the difference. Staying in control of the narrative means preparing for all eventualities with messages ready to be activated.
Olivia's secret trick? A super-close-knit team! Olivia never works alone and can count on a crisis unit that's operational at all times.
#2 - Siobhan Roy – Succession
A true image strategist, masterfully wielding the power of symbols, the woman nicknamed Shiv operates in a ruthless media universe, where every word can be worth millions... For her, image is not simply reputation, it is a power of perception.
Siobhan's COM lesson? Everything is an act of communication, even a lack of communication. In a hyper-mediatized world, everything you do or don't do can be analyzed. Down to the slightest movement or glance, nothing should be left to chance.
Siobhan's secret trick? Calm on the surface, she manipulates timing like no one else. She knows when to speak and, more importantly, when to remain silent.
#3 - Emily Cooper – Emily in Paris
Emily is a social media manager at a Parisian communications agency, and she's mostly a character full of clichés. But just because this intuitive, responsive digital native is a caricature of her profession doesn't mean she doesn't have some best practices to share with us. Emily also embodies a new vision of the COM: more spontaneous and more daring.
Emily's COM lesson? In digital communication, boldness creates conversion. In the saturated world of Social Media, it is by using audacity that a brand stands out. You have to dare to surprise in order to emerge. Originality is a weapon, sometimes divisive, but always impactful.
Emily's secret trick? With Emily, every moment is Instagrammable!
#4 - Samantha Jones – Sex and the City
Samantha is a public relations expert and ultra-visionary. A pure and hard high-end PR professional, she understands the importance of personal branding and excels at image building. LinkedIn didn't exist yet, which is a shame because she could have achieved great things there.
Samantha's COM lesson? Personal branding is a weapon of mass conviction, because the secret to embodiment in communication is emotion.
Samantha's secret trick? Her network! For Samantha, a good contact is often better than a good slogan.
#5️ – Kelly Kapoor – The Office
Wearing many hats, Kelly manages customer service, internal communication and even does a bit of HR. Basically, she handles complaints and irritations from stakeholders at her company: Dunder Mifflin. Loud and excessive, this outstanding communicator is extra creative when it comes to mobilizing her teams.
Kelly's COM lesson? In a world that is a bit too formal, it is through the unexpected that we manage to attract and, above all, retain attention. A well-delivered message is a memorable message, and a memorable message is a message that makes an impression.
Kelly's secret trick? His humor. It's through his self-deprecation that Kelly defuses tensions.
#6 – Burt Peterson – Mad Men
We couldn't make a list of TV series communicators without mentioning Burt Peterson, a somewhat old-school hero from the world of 60s advertising. In a changing world, this character reminds us of the importance of fundamentals: people and the field.
Burt's COM lesson? Burt knows it's all about trust. Active listening and building quality human relationships are the pillars of effective communication.
Burt's secret trick? Memory, it is through memory that all reputations are made and unmade. Burt is convinced of this, a simple sentence – even forgotten – can change everything.
#7 – Maddie Lockwood – you
At first glance, Maddie is a superficial communicator, adept at visual filters and empty phrases. Addicted to storytelling Despite its apparent facade, this ultra-influential press officer refines her positions rather well.
Maddie's COM lesson? Content must invariably follow form, because even the most beautiful story, if told without credibility, will eventually collapse. Storytelling is only worthwhile if it is based on some truth (at least a little).
Maddie's secret trick? Her sense of drama is extremely well mastered. Maddie knows how to generate buzz, but above all, she knows how to control it.
#8 - Connor Ellis – House of Cards
This outstanding tactician, as discreet as he is intelligent, handles image management and media relations like no one else. Connor navigates brilliantly between a ruthless press, repeated political crises and even internal underhandedness.
Connor's COM lesson? In crisis communication, it's not the message that reassures, it's the posture. In times of instability, appearing to be in control of things already gains credibility.
Connor's secret trick? His composure. In the face of pressure and manipulation, Connor remains professional, measured, and always strategically aligned. He proves that, even in a toxic environment, self-control is a formidable communication weapon.
#9 - Eli Gold – The Good Wife
He knows all about manipulating public opinion. A confirmed spin doctor, Eli is formidable and calculating. His job is power PR in all its complexity. Media, influence, opponent management... No lever holds any secrets for him.
Eli's COM lesson? A good communicator is simply a strategic advisor. The communicator is not an executor, but a knowledgeable person who sits at the decision-making table.
Eli's secret trick? His intuition is a real asset. Eli senses when the tide is about to turn, or not. He knows in advance which decision to influence and which lever to pull.
#10 - Kasper Juul – Borgen
Kasper embodies long-term vision by deploying strategies of conviction. He seeks neither the limelight nor the glory, but orchestrates an eminently sustainable strategy in the shadows, without giving in to short-term pressure.
Louise's COM lesson? Kasper reminds us that the best messages are sincere ones, or at least those that appear sincere based on a deep understanding of public opinion.
Louise's secret trick? It is by constantly adjusting the elements of language, sometimes playing with form and negotiating with the truth, that Kasper manages to stay one step ahead of the media and his adversaries.
