Bertrand Gié (left) / Jean-Christophe Royer (right)
- What was the brief for the campaign?
Jean-Christophe Royer: The campaign responds to a double challenge: to reposition the brand in order to free it from stereotypical perceptions of Le Figaro, and to assert a true brand philosophy by implementing a new brand signature. And there is, of course, a business dimension, with the objective of adding more than 200,000 new subscribers in 12 months while enhancing the loyalty of the current readership.
- Why release the campaign now, 195 years after the newspaper was launched?
Bertrand Gié: Why not? There’s no deadline for communicating who you are! More seriously, in an environment polluted by fake news, after 18 months of pandemic and a few months before the (French) presidential elections, we are speaking up at a time when information plays a more crucial role than ever.
- How and why did you choose “liberty” as a theme? Is it to highlight the freedom of the French people, the freedom of the press, or a concept more intimately linked to the history of Le Figaro?
BG: The choice came about quite quickly and naturally. Among the many values embodied by Le Figaro – reliability, honesty, rigor, high standards, passion – it was obvious to us that one of them expressed even better who we are and what we stand for. Freedom. The freedom to think, to express oneself, to strive, to create, to love life, our heritage, our country. Liberty is at the crossroads of our history. It is at the same time our heritage, what we are today, and our fight for tomorrow. It is a precious possession, which resonates deeply with the challenges of our times, and which we wish to cultivate and transmit.
- How did you choose the events included in the film?
BG: Here too, the creative idea came about quite naturally. We wanted to make a film composed entirely of real articles published by Le Figaro (in the newspaper and in our magazines) and showing how, for 195 years, we have been sanctifying, defending and celebrating liberty. We obviously compiled hundreds of them, so we had to choose, which meant letting some go. That was almost the hardest part, as our heritage is so rich. But together, we chose those which seemed to us the most representative of who we are and of all the forms of freedom that we uphold, that we cultivate.
- Why did you choose animation (rather than archive footage from the newspaper, for example)?
JCR: All the front pages illustrated in the film are based on ones that were actually published. Thanks to illustration and re-composition we were able to enhance them so that they’re suitable for quick reading in an animated film. Animation also allows us to mix eras, themes and materials, from paper to digital, without constraint.
- Will we see variations of the film depicting other historic events covered by Le Figaro? What are your next steps?
JCR: The manifesto film aims to reinforce the signature of Le Figaro – “The culture of freedom since 1826” – and its values; it establishes the newspaper in a consistent a positioning anchored in 195 years of history. For the moment there are no other variations planned, as we don’t look back over 195 years of existence every day, but this beautiful film does indeed open up great perspectives for the brand.