France, with 37 million Internet users, ranks ninth worldwide in terms of online population in 2009.
But not only is France one of the world’s top 10 Internet countries—it is one of the most brand-conscious. Both consumers and marketers seem peculiarly sensitive to the power of brands, online and off.
“In 2009, there is lively discussion about how brands can use digital channels to deepen engagement and loyalty, as well as drive sales, whether on the Web or in retail stores,” says Karin von Abrams, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, France Online: Where Brand Matters. “Many international brands, including some headquartered in France, have developed more comprehensive brand strategies for the French market than for their UK customers, for example.”
One sign of France’s intense interest in brand matters is the country’s thriving debate about brands and branding in general. Publishers catering to the advertising and marketing industry often run articles not just on the performance of individual brands past and present, but on potentially abstract subjects including the life cycle of brands, how to revive a weak brand and how to avoid overexposure.
“The advent of the financial crisis has brought a flurry of speculation on how brands can prosper in difficult times,” says Ms. von Abrams. “Several industry voices have urged brands to become facilitators and companions to hard-pressed consumers.”
For example, Air France-KLM uses online technologies to allow passengers to learn the names of other people taking the same flight, and contact them if they wish. Passengers can also share travel tips. Three months after launch, the service had already attracted 55,000 members.
“These people were not just interested in knowing who was traveling with them, but also wanted to participate in an online address book,” says Ms. von Abrams. “This is an effective loyalty tool for frequent fliers, but because it is accessible to nonclients too, it is also a lead generator, helping to create a preference for Air France among occasional users.”
Market Audit polled internautes (as the French call their Internet users) for marketing services agency ETO, asking how the users felt about brands and gauging their sense of “brand intrusion.” The survey found that Websites and other online marketing tools were increasingly important for purchase planning.
In a similar vein, LeJournalduNet surveyed its readers online asking what they expected of branded Websites. More than three-quarters said they were looking for information on the brand’s products and services, while 54% expected the opportunity to buy online.
The consumers were relatively confident that material found on brand sites was trustworthy: 30% said they trusted the information without reservation, and 60% trusted brand statements despite some skepticism. Just 9% distrusted brands, believing the brands “would do anything to get sales.”
“The strategies French brands are employing to engage consumers online are relevant, to varying degrees, throughout the world,” says Ms. von Abrams. “The focus on brand values and brand priorities among French marketers has led to concrete results that other countries can learn from.”