Information plays a vital role in our democracies. With the rise of social media over the past fifteen years, and now the growing power of AI , the most harmful practices have emerged on these platforms. Fake news, polarization, manipulation… In this new “Wild West,” media outlets and brands are sometimes engaging in similar discussions. To address this, We Are French Touch invited Nathalie Sonnac, professor at Panthéon-Assas University (president of COP, CLEMI, and CEDE), Catherine Spindler, deputy CEO of Lacoste , and Elsa Darquier Fournier, COO of Brut.

“ The traditional media model is on the verge of collapse, and with it, an entire ecosystem that guarantees the production of quality information ,” states Nathalie Sonnac, citing a study by Arcom (the French Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication). By 2030, two-thirds of advertising revenue will be invested in platforms, not in traditional media. In this threatening outlook for the information economy, the success of Brut, a social media pure player, demonstrates that producing quality information is still possible today. “ To combat disinformation, at Brut, we rely on the 150,000 comments generated weekly on the platform ,” explains Elsa Darquier Fournier of Brut, citing the recent example of Dominique Pélicot’s conviction. “ Everyone cried foul. ‘He didn’t get a life sentence!’” There was a textual explanation to provide, as the maximum sentence in France is 20 years. So we produced a topic that same day to explain French law. It's invaluable to have this feedback from citizens and consumers.

How then can we use this creative intelligence and this French taste for debate to serve brands? Brut enjoys strong trust among young people, with 88% of trust among 15-35 year-olds. This makes it a trusted third party, the manager testifies. The association between a media and a brand helps protect the latter, while conveying an authentic message, because the logo of a media gives credibility to the information. The challenge is therefore to know how to work together, without mistrust ».
Platforms like TikTok show the enormous power of the consumer in the commercial success or failure of a product. A major factor in this changing environment, according to Catherine Spindler of Lacoste. Consumers today feel that they know much more than anyone else. In this context, Lacoste, with its 90 years of history, chooses to return to its core values: truthfulness, authenticity and product quality. For Lacoste, this is the basis of trust and sustainability, and investing in quality and sustainable products is essential to maintain itself in this constantly changing world. ».

Presented in September 2024, the report from the "National Information Conference" sheds light on this fundamental debate. According to its findings, the world in 2050 will be marked by five major shocks: economic, social, political, technological, and environmental. Three scenarios emerge. " The most optimistic describes a world where information is exploding ," explains Nathalie Sonnac. A true golden age of information: " Individuals no longer want advertising and seek media that inform them clearly, securely, and in a structured way. In this scenario, information is therefore no longer dependent on the advertising-based economic model. This evolution cannot occur without educating citizens about media and information ," argues the expert.

In light of this upheaval in the traditional advertising model, Catherine Spindler sees two complementary development paths for major brands. “ On the one hand, they must continue to tell captivating, almost cinematic stories to transport consumers into a world of dreams and desirability. On the other hand, everyday advertising will be more focused on a direct relationship between the brand, the consumer, and media platforms. Brands will then have to guarantee the quality and veracity of the information they disseminate. This change is already underway, even if its maturity varies depending on the market and region, particularly for brands operating globally .”

For Elsa Darquier Fournier, whose media outlet is already active in producing content for brands, “ in this rapidly changing landscape, brands must rethink their approach to community management. Previously, it was enough to publish content and delete hateful comments. Today, it's about actively engaging the audience by participating in discussions outside their own content, particularly to correct misinformation. For example, in the case of a brand committed to fighting food insecurity, the community manager's role is to integrate the brand's initiatives into relevant feeds. This way, the brand's message spreads organically .” According to the COO of Brut, brands have unique power, especially when they support worthy causes, and “ can change the world faster than institutions or public authorities alone .”

The revolution also needs to take place among advertisers, insists media specialist Nathalie Sonnac. “ Why not an even stronger commitment from brands? Could these advertisers direct a portion of their spending, their advertising, towards media outlets labeled ‘political and general news’? Advertisers are doing fantastic work in the areas of equality and parity. Let’s add another ‘e’ to CSR: education. Every individual who becomes an employee in a company should have access to training to learn what information is, what the information process is, what AI is, how to detect manipulation… ”

This commitment requires some nuance. Catherine Spindler explains: “ Companies are becoming increasingly aware of their social responsibility, particularly in engaging younger generations. However, it is crucial that they clearly define the role they wish to play in transforming society. Some companies are criticized for not reacting to every global crisis. To be truly transformative, they must choose the causes they support and make concrete commitments to these issues, rather than simply issuing superficial statements after every disaster .”

What about influencers in 2050? “ It’s becoming essential to find personalities capable of authentically embodying a brand or product, going beyond simple promotion ,” argues Catherine Spindler. “Authenticity and accuracy in this embodiment will be increasingly scrutinized. Influencers will no longer be able to promote multiple products in a single day. Furthermore, the end consumer is playing an increasingly important role in influence. Some platforms have given consumers a significant voice, and they are becoming influencers themselves. Brands must therefore learn to orchestrate this connection with consumers appropriately, so that their influence can positively benefit the brand .”

This brings us back to the question of education. “ A central and essential point for avoiding manipulation in influence ,” insists Nathalie Sonnac. “Consumers, who now hold the power, must be well-informed to avoid spreading misinformation, because social media and algorithms can amplify disinformation. Influencers, who operate within an algorithmic environment, can wield considerable power. Businesses and advertisers have a key role to play in education, particularly for young people, to combat the confusion created by fake news, artificial intelligence, and deepfakes. The media, as essential providers of quality information, must also contribute to this education. It is crucial to train community managers and implement regulations to prevent chaos on social media. This requires collaboration between the media, advertisers, and public authorities, with regulations to govern this new information ecosystem. The role of advertisers has never been more important .”