Emily in Paris is back, and with Season 4 just released, it’s hard for those of us in the marketing world not to reflect on the show’s portrayal of our industry. While the fashion and drama are captivating, the marketing strategies often leave us saying, "Wait, what?"
But as Lily Collins, the star and producer, explained when the show started airing, “Of course, certain things were heightened. It's all meant to be bright and bubbly and fun” (EW, 2021). Even so, Emily in Paris has a mix of truth and fiction compared to the real world of marketing.
Luxury Marketing: A Different World
In Season 3, Emily finds herself in charge of a celebrity’s diamond necklace — a classic "luxury marketing" situation. While it makes for dramatic TV, it’s not exactly relatable for most of us. At Eternity Marketing, we spend more time working with local businesses and nonprofits than managing high-stakes luxury items.
For example, when we worked with Northeast Kingdom Human Services, our goal was to capture how the state agency helps their local community — there were no diamonds or famous celebrities involved.
AI is Changing the Game (Even If Emily Isn’t Using It Yet)
One major gap in the show? The absence of AI. In today’s world of digital marketing, artificial intelligence plays a significant role. From automating customer journeys to analyzing ad data, AI helps marketers work smarter, not harder.
For example, you’ve probably seen ads with phrases like “delve into” or “curate an experience” — this is often a sure sign that they were crafted by a robot. Everyone’s using it – though, at Eternity, we utilize AI so that our messaging always feels human and authentic. AI enhances our productivity, but we take great care to ensure our messaging doesn’t sound robotic, and the marketers in Emily in Paris could use it that way, too.
It’s a missed opportunity for the show that could use AI to stay on-topic in the fast-evolving digital space. Imagine Emily using AI to help automate her social media posts or analyze audience data, only for it to go hilariously wrong. A storyline where she trusts AI to do her job, but faces an embarrassing blunder (perhaps it misinterprets French slang or schedules the wrong posts), would not only be timely but also fit the show’s comedic tone.
Client Pitch Meetings: Where the Magic Actually Happens
In Emily’s world, approvals for campaigns often seem to happen in a flash, with a charming conversation or a serendipitous event sealing the deal. However, in real-world marketing, client pitch meetings are where strategies take shape and campaigns come to life. These meetings allow for in-depth discussions, client feedback, and strategic alignment — things that rarely make it to TV. It’s also important to note that the work doesn’t stop at the pitch. Crafting a successful campaign involves continuous collaboration, including emails, feedback loops, and numerous revisions.
Naturally, TV dramas focus on the exciting, visually engaging moments like the big pitch meeting or a glamorous event, while skipping over the follow-up emails or weeks of tweaking concepts. That makes sense — no one tunes in to watch someone work through an email chain about campaign details! However, in reality, that back-and-forth is where the real work happens.
At Eternity, for example, we’re in constant communication with clients, ensuring that every aspect of a campaign stays on-brand and meets their goals. During our work with Ski Safety U.S., we held multiple meetings that helped us align with the client’s vision of balancing facts about safety with the fun of being on the mountain, ensuring the final product reflected their brand’s values. Client pitch meetings are the beginning of the journey, not the end, setting the foundation for ongoing creative collaboration.
How Our Lives Shape Our Marketing Work
In the show, Emily’s chaotic personal life often spills over into her professional world. While we might not live lives as dramatic as the show, like with Emily and her boss Sylvie dating clients, our personal experiences definitely shape our work.
For example, while working on Vermont Pub & Brewery’s website, I had family visiting from out of town. Showing them the beauty of Vermont gave me fresh inspiration for the website design, helping me bring that sense of place into the digital experience. Personal connections like these often lead to more meaningful and authentic marketing.
Marketers are Consumers, Too
As marketers, we’re not just shaping trends — we’re actively living them. Like Emily’s love for Starbucks and high fashion, the culture we enjoy in our personal lives often influence the campaigns we create. Our enthusiasm for brands as consumers helps us understand what resonates with audiences.
It’s this connection that fuels our ability to craft marketing strategies that engage people on a deeper level because, after all, being a part of culture is both our job and our passion.
Emily Got it Right About the Importance of Social Media
One thing Emily in Paris gets spot on is the importance of social media in building brands. In Season 1, Emily tells her boss, Sylvie, that social media is about the idea of including people as a marketing strategy to gain customers. This is true. In today’s digital marketing world, social media is a powerful tool for creating a brand’s identity and connecting with audiences.
Social Media Growth: A Marathon, Not a Sprint
In the show, Emily’s social media presence seems to explode overnight. In reality, growing a social media following takes time and strategy. Most small businesses can expect to grow their Instagram followers by 2-5% per month with consistent effort. Hitting 1,000 Instagram followers organically can take 4-6 months, depending on engagement and brand. Emily’s rapid rise to influencer status is fun to watch, but a little unrealistic.
Emily's World vs. Real-World Marketing: A Tale of Two Realities
The truth is, marketing is a mix of creativity, data, and collaboration — far more nuanced than a TV show can capture. So while we enjoy watching Emily's marketing adventures, we know the real magic happens when we combine innovation with strategy and hard work.
And Lily, if you’re reading this, we’re here to help with any questions about marketing — merci beaucoup!
