Saint Exupéry’s Little Prince, when a sheep is drawn for him, is never satisfied; it’s only when a crate is sketched for him that his face lights up. And that’s because inside that crate, there’s room for his sheep “just the way he wanted it”.

And what if this is what tomorrow’s advertising looks like? Some see advertising as the epitome of the consumer society, as something that must be dispensed with in order to create a new world. But this new advertising is not about products or services, it is about ideas and meaning. It is communication that creates space for dreaming and desires. Communication that places its faith in consumers who are receptive to brand values and commitments. Communication that recognizes that, just as consumer confidence is key at the macroeconomic level, sales momentum can’t be achieved without focusing on company and brand values.

Creation and context are the key ingredients for making this work. Here at France Télévisions Publicité, we are convinced that our economy has more to gain than ever from the power of dreams, hence the importance of that little spark of advertising creativity. But without a high-quality environment, reflecting both the value of the company communicating and generating immediate sales results, this spark dies out straight away. This is why we are creating a new marketing service based on artificial intelligence, Akouo (meaning “listen” in Greek), to listen to what audiences are saying and better communicate with them through our programs. Then we can really start getting to know the Little Prince.

Marianne SIPROUDHIS

CEO of FranceTV Publicité

This column was published in CB News on 4 June 2020.