Launch of the “France brand”: an invitation to choose France

“Here, we want to start a new challenge: act so France would shine, attract and dream even more” wrote together in the presentation article of the project the French minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the minister in charge of attractiveness. A new way to show that France is “the incarnation of a language, a culture and an art of living”.

Confirming the influence of France

The concept of the creation of a “France brand” comes from an identification: in the current competitive work at global scale, it is “critical to achieve a deep work” to improve “our influence as a foreground nation”.

So, write the ministers, to continue to be “a foreground nation in this century, to remain a cultural reference as well as a leading economic player, to continue to attract investors and talent, France needs a France brand”. This new brand will “reflect the diversity of its fields of excellence”, whether in traditional skills, digital and scientific innovation or cutting-edge research. As the launch press kit points out, this is the moment to assert “France’s strengths: creativity, talent, research, education, public health, infrastructure, access to the European market, solid, sustainable and inclusive growth”.

Expressing the country’s fundamental values

In concrete terms, France’s fundamental values - humanism, universalism, inclusion, creativity, excellence and openness - will be at the centre in this campaign in the form of five major communication pillars:

• economy, which highlights France’s economic, technological and ecological development, an “economy that strikes the right balance between competitiveness and sustainability”;
• tourism, which highlights France’s unique tourist assets, with its “rich landscapes” and its “resolutely humanist mindset”, a form of tourism that is “enlightened, committed and respectful of the environment”;
• gastronomy, which highlights France’s ability to “choose innovative agriculture and gastronomy that reconciles good taste with good products”;
• culture, education and science, which promotes access to a culture and education system that “awakens people’s consciences”, a training system that integrates “the challenges of today and tomorrow” and a culture that is “on the move”, in a dialogue with the international community to propel young talent;
• partnership, which supports France’s commitment “to a fairer and more sustainable world”, insofar as it offers “shared solutions, with a strong environmental and social impact, for the common goods of humanity”.

Let the world know

To consolidate the “France brand”, an international campaign bearing the message Make It Iconic. Choose France will be launched from the end of the year, primarily in five countries: Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, India and the United States, as well as in France. The campaign will also be “amplified worldwide”, using the diplomatic network and government operators.

It will aim to “generate preference and consideration among an audience of opinion leaders”, through three key phases: a poster campaign in a selection of highly influential locations (airports, business districts, buildings representing France abroad) with a repeat in digital, a strong presence at major international trade fairs and on social networks to relay the campaign, and the production of a film scheduled for the first half of 2024.

Key figures on the attractiveness of France

The Make It Iconic. Choose France campaign aims to “draw France as it is”. Many key figures show just how attractive France can be:

• France is the world’s 7th largest economy;
• 3rd in Europe and 6th worldwide for Research and Development;
• 1st country in the OECD in terms of public funding and tax incentives for business R&D;
• 5% of France’s GDP is spent on education, including 1.5% of GDP on higher education;
• 400,000 international students by 2022, bringing France closer to its target of 500,000 international students by 2027;
• +22% increase in student mobility to France in 5 years;
• 4th destination worldwide for international doctoral students;
• 1st destination in Europe for international investment projects;
• 6th most attractive country in the world for foreign investment;
• more than 2 million French people already work for foreign companies based in France;
• 1st ecosystem in the European Union for innovation (more than 20,000 start-ups in France);
• 2nd European country for patent applications (French researchers filed more than 7,700 patents in 2022).