Working in digital communication? Far from "Easy and Glam," désolée Emily!

Bonjour Emily. Welcome to Rome!

Ah, the Eternal City, where every nook and cranny looks like a movie set, the narrow streets downtown whisper millennia-old stories, and where (sorry to disappoint you) none of us wears stiletto heels 14 to get to the office.

Leaving aside the Sanpietrini issue, which could prove to be a great obstacle to the success of your walkway to the Agence in the heart of Trastevere, here in Rome what limits your naïve account of our profession is mostly our full awareness of what it means vraiment to work in the field of social media and brand communication.

While we were all enthralled by the edulcorated Easy and Glam version of being Us that you were able to paint in your series, let me nonetheless - in all fairness - list my list of hashtags #ReasonWhy your approach and the techniques you employ could never work in real life.

I know, with this tone I am a bit reminiscent of Silvie forced into the office on Monday mornings at 9 a.m., but what can I say, C'est la vie 👇

#RealityCheck: Routine is not so Chic

Let's start with the most mundane aspect. While you spend a good part of your workday touring dreamy cities, dining in chic bistros , sipping cham-pers and capturing your #ViewOfTheDay (which as soon as you post go viral), we Social Media Managers and Communication Specialists belonging to the real world wake up in the morning knowing that we will have to run faster than the algorithms and their fluctuating and sudden changes, wrestle with the belief that content written and directed by AIs cannot replace what we do while reckoning with the ubiquitous and very annoying inflammation of the trapezius, the one that peeps up at the end of the evening to berate us for too many hours spent hunched over a PC, intent on meticulously organizing every minute facet of our work.

#Vive la Strategie rather than strokes of genius (ouì, they are two different things!)

Emily, you don't develop communication plans. You just take part in a meeting, speak without first agreeing on what you will say with your team, and flash your best smile to make clients fall in love with your project, creative idea, and grounding. All you have to do is debut with “I have an idea... .” and bam! Approved and with no budget limit. No haggling, 150-slide presentations and 16-hour brainstorming. A very brief intervention of a few minutes is all that's needed, and lo and behold, the idea turns into an absolute success.

Putting mattresses around Paris? Génial! Without any authorization? Parfait! Without defining any kind of KPI? bien sûr!

But real life is quite different: there are market analyses, target definition, alignment with business objectives, setting KPIs, defining the conversion funnel, approving communication materials and approvals to proceed, all seasoned with a large dose of diplomatic persuasion.

The magic of marketing and communication is not in luck or spontaneity. The real magic lies in working hard to achieve real and lasting results.

#InstaVirality? A pipe dream!

Whatever campaign you decide to activate through your clients' social accounts, it immediately goes viral. You think of a creative hashtag, throw up a filter, find an exclusive location to host the unveiling event, and voila: the initiative is immediately on everyone's lips.

But dear Emily, instant virality on social media is a bit like the myth of the alchemist: extremely fascinating, but rarely real. Although some content may seem to explode out of thin air, the truth is that behind every “social phenomenon,” there is a combination of strategy, timing, and a dash of luck.

There are several reasons why immediate virality in our world can never be guaranteed:

1. Content saturation: Every day, billions of pieces of content are shared on social media. Each platform's algorithm must thus decide what to show to whom, based on factors such as engagement, trends, and user behavior. Even the best content can remain invisible without an initial boost.

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3. Shifting algorithms : Social platforms are constantly changing their algorithms. What worked yesterday may not work today, and we industry professionals must keep up with these changes and adapt our strategies accordingly.

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5. Diverse audiences : Every audience has different interests, times and modes of use. What drives one niche crazy may be irrelevant to another, making it harder to immediately hit a broad target audience. Therefore, is successful content that gets lots of likes or content that gets likes and wins the trust and interest of the right people?

6. Genuine Engagement vs. Momentary Hype: Although a post may blow up temporarily, maintaining that attention and turning it into a lasting relationship with the audience requires a consistent and studied approach.

#TheEnd: C'est la vie... ma quelle vie merveilleuse!

Despite the fact that glamour is rare, and that you more often find me in slippers than in high heels, I can't blame you when you say that you love your job and can't live without it.

Our profession is a unique balance of strategy and creativity, and that is what makes it so fascinating. From the outside it may look simple and spontaneous, but in reality it is so much more.

The communications specialist has to understand audiences, know trends, interpret data, manage crises, maintain brand consistency and, most importantly, always be on the ball.

It is exhausting because every single word, message, and action must be carefully chosen.

There is a constant need to renew and find new ideas to capture attention in a world where we are inundated with information. And then there are the tight deadlines, endless revisions and needs that change at the last minute.

But it is precisely this challenge that makes it the most fun and creative work. Every day is different, and the energy comes precisely from the need to think outside the box, to invent innovative ways to tell a story or promote a product. You are always connected to the world, to trends and pop culture , and you can unleash your imagination to make even the flattest messages intriguing.

In addition, the communications specialist has the power to influence how people perceive the world, brands, and ideas. This brings great satisfaction, especially when you realize that your strategies work and that your content succeeds in engaging and making people think.

Net of all this, and while we disagree on many things, there is one thing that j'adore about you, Emily. Definitely your outfits but, even more so your cover, which of course...is mine too.

À bientôt!