Deep dive into French PR campaigns

Jessica Wax-Edwards
July 31, 2023

Next in our series on localising your PR campaigns we focus on PR activities ‘dans l’Hexagone’.

Our Francophone Director Jessica Wax-Edwards (JWE) sits down with French PR liaison Jessica Ballasi (JB) to discuss best practice and how a tailored, localised approach to your PR campaigns can get your news and articles published in the very best of French media.

JWE: My view is when it comes to carrying out press relations in a different geography, localisation is key and really starts at the content creation stage. Ideally, you’re researching and writing something highly specific to your audience but it’s not always the case, especially when a business is entering a new market and perhaps unsure how to approach them specifically.

JB: I couldn’t agree more! When pitching an idea (whether that’s a product launch or opinion piece) to journalists, it’s less about the format and much more about relevance. For instance, as part of a client’s global campaign last year we secured news coverage in La Tribune, a key French national title.

Despite it being B2B news, we’d designed the piece to have broad appeal with data points and specificity for each geography. That’s why the press release saw immediate pick-up – pertinence and the timing. The news story addressed key industry trends (sustainability, digitalisation, emissions targets) with nuance that made the topic new and interesting to French readers.

JWE: Such an interesting perspective, Jessica! And in broader terms what are some simple tips for approaching the French media. In Germany for instance, editors are keen for longform pieces and take several months to plan and publish these. What’s your view on strategy in France?

JB: I find emails to be more effective than phone calls when following -up with French journalists. In fact, when I get through to them, most of the time they ask me to drop them an email anyway. I also think one has to be mindful of the timing. I recommend reaching out early in the morning, so that your email is at the top of their inbox. I feel that increases the chances of your pitch being noticed.

JWE: That’s fairly unusual. A lot of other regions are quite the opposite i.e. it’s not enough to send a mail, you absolutely must follow up by phone to get things over the line. Any idea why that might be?

JB: I actually think more important is ensuring you have the correct editorial contact. It sounds obvious but titles often have a range of reporters and editors working on a variety of topics. Finding the right one can spell the difference between your story being ignored and it appearing front and centre. Part of this is understanding the material you’re pitching and precisely how it can fit into a publication’s editorial content and calendar.

JWE: Agreed and it just highlights how essential it is to engage knowledgeable PR experts as well as simply someone who speaks the language. To wrap up, I’ve got one more question for you. What’s the typical French outlet’s stance towards online and print placements? I remember a conversation I had with a French journalist long ago where I was pushing very hard for a placement. She maintained it wasn’t possible until I said “what about online” and she completely switched saying “oh yes I can do that right now today.” Is this your experience?

JB: Securing an online placement is certainly easier. I think that also ties in with the rise in the share of online news audience in France as well as the ongoing decline in print press. But print is still important to our clients and their customers so we make sure to get a good balance even if it’s trickier.