09 Jan The world of marketing and PR according to Netflix
Netflix series and global hit, Emily in Paris, has made the role of an agency-based Marketing Executive an incredibly enticing one, primarily due to the glamorous and exciting lifestyle the show portrays.
An ongoing discussion across the social sphere surrounds the unrealistic aspects of Emily Cooper’s career that have been depicted throughout. The light-hearted commentary has seen many industry professionals compare their own busy day-to-day schedules to hers spent gallivanting around the city with friends during work hours – we’re just jealous really!
Whilst we know that at the very core of it, the show is purely written to entertain – which it most certainly does – we couldn’t help taking a deep dive through the series to compare just how accurate the show is to the real world of PR. For research purposes, of course…
Campaigns
Director of Savoir, Sylvie and her team are always on the look-out for new potential clients, pulling together pitches and proposing innovative campaign ideas. From receiving the brief to creation of a succinct marketing strategy, the show definitely grasps the importance of thinking outside the box to achieve viral success.
However, client liaison is at the centre of campaign innovation and clear communication of goals and KPIs are crucial. Although we know an old fashioned LUYA brainstorm is a great way for our team to create initial campaign ideas, the show omits the level of research and preparation that goes into proposing a well thought out plan of action, with the client’s clear requirements at the centre. Emily’s tendency to stray away from the original concept is worryingly unprofessional…
Social
One thing we know for sure and that the show gets right, is that reactive marketing works. A PR disaster in the hours leading up to an event? Emily knows how to spin a crisis and use social media as a tool to do this.
However, she simply has to upload a quick Instagram Reel or of-the-moment post whilst sitting poolside to gain traction in the hundreds of thousands within a matter of hours. Whilst going viral could happen to any brand or influencer at any point, based on how the algorithm works, consistent and instant hits are not often this easy to gain. It is a combination of utilising trend hashtags, sounds and topics, and tweaking these accordingly over time, which will see the best results for your brand’s channels.
Influencer marketing
Having achieved influencer status herself, Emily has been seen attending PR events as a guest, not just as a member of the marketing team. Whilst her overnight success and huge following is somewhat questionable, some of the opportunities that her social following gave her at the beginning of the series are still pretty accurate.
Micro-influencers are just as important to a brand as the accounts with thousands and even millions of followers. If your product or offering is especially niche, these smaller and more dedicated followings will often see much better reach and engagement. Kudos to Emily for finding her niche and receiving those invites!
Events
In-between multiple love triangles and impromptu cocktails, Emily and her team run and organise some amazing events; from press and VIP lunches, fashion week pop-ups and campaign launches. Not only is this a huge element to be expected in the role of a Marketing Exec, but it also demonstrates that networking really is key, often meeting many of her useful contacts during work events.
A point that is not fully explained throughout the show however, is the time and planning it takes to put on such an event. Liaising with suppliers, preparing guest lists and curating invites are all integral parts to hosting the perfect product launch or opening, working with clients to pull together a concept and achieve the best results.
As much as we love a business lunch here at LUYA, we aren’t sure where Emily and her team realistically find the time to do all this!
Despite how heavily let’s say, romanticised the Netflix show is, we can relate to a lot of details throughout and it’s great to see that it’s led to such a positive, growing interest in our industry.
Looking for help on your latest campaign, event or social media accounts? Get in touch: hello@luya.co.uk