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How do you deal with ambiguous feedback?
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Any advice for your LAST day in office?
Rising Star
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Only if you want to be one of what the French call LES INCOMPETENTS
Rising Star
Yesssss!
Maybe if you’re Emily in Chicago and you want to be Emily in Paris.
If you're going to pick any where in Europe to not speak the language, France is the worst
(don't get me wrong, I love France but I photograph touring bands in the summer and it's the main place you have to atleast make an effort with in their native tongue to be polite)
Chief
It’s so much better to actually learn the language if you move to a foreign country, otherwise you won’t get an authentic experience.
But you can take classes when you get there. Learning by immersion is the best way. It would take you less than a year to have a good working knowledge and then it gets easier from there.
You would need to find a very global agency role (eg global brand in a US or UK owned agency) so you might miss the creative high points of shops like Marcel and BETC. Most French agency people speak some English, because they are highly educated. The industry is much more cerebral than the US industry. Most French people are judgmental of people who don't speak the language. Every word you learn will melt the ice and open the people and the culture to you. And learning French and experiencing French culture is like a high point of civilization.
Yes- big global French companies like Louis Vuitton, Renault and l’Oreal need english-native writers to do their english-language work, and hire plenty of foreigners to do it. The French speak some english, but it’s pretty broken and choppy in most cases, certainly not enough to write for advertising.
Source: I work in a french agency and don’t speak french
Yes, tell me more, too
Rising Star
I spent a week working at my [former] agency’s Paris office on a rotation. I don’t speak any French. They speak English in the office. No problems. One of the reasons we chose that office is that they do speak English and the work culture was remarkably similar to that in the states. In general if you go to the tourist areas you can get by with English or the occasional pointing [2 fingers, point to the croissant you want]
That being said - the French are incredibly judgmental of American Tourists. It’s compounded if you don’t speak any French. I imagine you’ll get attitude in the office. Maybe not stated but definitely implied.
It’s one thing for an exec that’s they’re for a week. It’s different if you’re working there.
Oui
Chief
You can live pretty much anywhere in the world without speaking the language. Especially if you are teaching English. But it’s much better if you know the language. At least a little.
There are a couple agencies with global clients doing great work in English.
DDB paris is one of them. (Ubisoft, Hennessy, Tag Heuer) It’s definitely one of best out there too.
Lots of people there speak perfect english.
What are some other, similar agencies? I’m less familiar. Any in Berlin?
Rising Star
Yes. I have, but as an intern.
Rising Star
Yeah, my info could be outdated, but I thought Paris had surpassed London a while ago, but maybe they came back? I know Stockholm is up there too.
I lived in Paris and only spoke minimal French but wasn’t in advertising
Not for long.
Yes. Culturally it’s tough but professionally it’s doable. Locate the Anglo CDs in Paris and try to work your way in from there. There aren’t many so ask around. Good luck!