Sometimes we tend to think that only consumer brands need to define a brand strategy. But it is also important for agencies and B2B companies to bring their brand to life in order to attract talent and clients.
JOSIANE is a very good example of an agency that decided to define a brand around its business to grab the attention of potential clients and future talent.
The new independent agency was founded in France a few months ago by Laurent Allias and Baptiste Thiery and was initially named “today”. However, after a big rebrand, the team decided to provide their agency with a clearer brand personality and bring it to life through a female name: JOSIANE.
With this new name, the agency wants to reflect the idea that JOSIANE has a personality and is like a mom for brands: it is an agency that takes them by the hand and helps them evolve and grow.
Another interesting fact about the agency is that it has intentionally avoided offering any specific service, which is because the corporation does not want to be classified as an advertising, digital, or integrated agency. The unique selling proposition of JOSIANE is that it provides its customers with creative ideas that will help them build strong brands at all levels and in the short, medium and long term!
Laurent Allias and Baptiste Thiery, founders of JOSIANE kindly accepted to answer my questions about his agency. To get more insights about JOSIANE’s brand philosophy read the full interview below!
You can also have a look at their website www.josianefaitdelapub.com
Interview with Laurent Allias & Baptiste Thiery, Founders of JOSIANE Agency
The Branding Journal: in one or two words how would you describe your agency?
Laurent Allias: JOSIANE is like a mother for brands. She takes them by the hand to help them grow up. She wants them to become beautiful, big and strong.
TBJ: Why did you decide to create this agency?
LA: Because we like brands. Because we are full of passion. Because we needed a structure that looked like us. And because nobody had created it before us.
TBJ: Why have you changed the previous name of TODAY to JOSIANE?
LA: Because.
TBJ: Could we say that JOSIANE is an advertising agency? What differentiates it from other agencies?
LA: JOSIANE is neither an advertising agency, nor a digital agency, nor an integrated agency. JOSIANE is an Agency. With ideas inside! Also, our difference will be established by our campaigns in the coming months and years.
TBJ: Why did you intentionally avoid offering any specific service?
LA: Because JOSIANE does not accept being confined. A digital agency will always come with digital, a traditional agency with a TV copy, and an event communication agency with an event. We propose what is best to build up the brands, which we guide at short, medium and long terms.
Everything is going too fast: the world, the society and people’s customs… Therefore we believe it is better not to put a specific label on our agency. This is why we chose to be open to a variety of services without being specific about our offering.
TBJ: What do you offer to your clients?
LA: To help them (re)build up their brand from the global strategy to the campaign production. A brand should be, both up-to-date and ready for the next day. It should also justify its existence and its purpose to reach its different target markets. This is a very Nietzsche approach!
We offer brands to help them become what they are, or at least what they are meant to be, day after day, with a long-term vision, and taking into consideration all necessary communication channels.
TBJ: What are you 3 favorite campaigns?
LA: Our next three.
TBJ: In your opinion what are the biggest challenges that currently exist in the advertising industry?
LA: The main challenge remains the same: to make the brands that we promote appeal to the public, and make customers choose them over the competing brands in the market. Today it is both easier and more complicated to accomplish this challenge:
More complicated because in one way, consumers are more mature and are not fooled by traditional advertising. Moreover, the market is considerably denser.
Easier because we have access to an increasing amount of communication channels. They are more diverse and better answer people’s expectations and lifestyles.
TBJ: A few words on your career and professional projects?
Laurent Allias “The Atypical Connected”: From his ‘Engineer Ecole Centrale’ background, he has become an entrepreneur in the advertising world. He has experience of working internationally for Schlumberger, in the luxury industry at Dior, and in agency and digital production.
He has also created a Club of Young Entrepreneurs with a network of more than 3500 managers, and “Les Chatons D’Or” (“The Gold Kittens” in English), a festival that rewards young creatives for their work.
Baptiste Thierry “The Creative Soul”: He has 20 years of experience in the advertising world. He likes when ideas are strong, noble, fair play and different from anything else. He invents and reinvents himself every single day.
TBJ: If you had to give one advice about being an entrepreneur, what would it be?
LA: “The most important thing is to be long lasting” (Stéphane Martin)
BT: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again.” (Samuel Beckett)
A warm thank you to Laurent Allias and Baptiste Thiery for agreeing to answer my questions. We wish you the best of luck in your new agency adventure!
