Emily in Paris: The New Age Case Study of Soft Power Projection

Fine wine, the infamous French cuisine prepared with the secret of butter and from the bustling streets of Paris to the beautiful countryside…Over the years, there have been hundreds of movies, novels, songs, and even paintings that romanticize the country. For instance, Julie and Julia (2008), a famous movie based on the real-life of Julie Powell and Julia Child, waters our mouths as they take the audience through their journey of preparing 524 recipes from a classic 1961 recipe book by Julia Child, ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’. Similarly, Monte Carlo (2010), starring Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy, narrates a story (romcom) of a middle-class girl who works part-time and saves up to take a trip to Paris upon graduation from high school. Be it in the famous Disney movie, Ratatouille (2007) where Paris is portrayed as visually stunning, or as Audrey Hepburn rightly says in the film Sabrina (1954), “Paris is always a good idea”.

More recently, ‘Emily in Paris’ (2019) has attempted to showcase the ‘American Dream of Living in Paris’. This popular Netflix series has received both criticism and appreciation. Viewers enjoy the show as Emily navigates her complicated professional and romantic life in a new city, with no prior understanding of the French language and workplace culture. As for the critics, some Parisians opined that the show excludes the difficult side of La vie Parisien – Pollution, Traffic, Congestion, and Metro strikes, and paints a very flowery picture.  However, apart from the mere storyline, ‘Emily in Paris’, has reached headlines as French President Emmanuel Macron commented upon the possible departure of Emily, the protagonist, to Rome in the last season. “We will fight hard. We will ask them to remain in Paris. ‘Emily in Paris’ in Rome doesn’t make sense,” On the other hand, Darren Star, creator of this top-viewed Netflix show, said that he wanted Emily to experience some unfamiliar waters, “Emily was becoming very comfortable in Paris”

In response to President Macron’s ‘fight hard’ comment, the mayor of Rome Gualtieri said, “Take it easy, Emmanuel Macron. Emily in Rome is perfect”. In another interview with THR Roma, he said, “Doesn’t President Macron have more pressing matters to worry about?… I would like to believe, at least I would like to hope, that Macron was joking because he ought to know that a production company like Netflix does not take orders from heads of state or make decisions based on political pressure”

Against this backdrop, the article attempts to answer the following questions: Why did Emily in Paris gain attention from political figures like French President Emmanuel Macron and the mayor of Rome? How does it benefit these countries regarding soft power projection and cultural diplomacy?

Raising Domestic Issues

Media, both new age and traditional, is one of the important soft power tools to shape a narrative around a country’s national identity. For instance, the show has touched upon the then ongoing debate of the ‘gender neutral French language’. Since the last decade, there has been a debate in French society to introduce gender-neutral or inclusive language. In one episode, Emily, the protagonist, is perplexed upon learning the unpredictable nature of noun genders in the language. In the same episode, Brigitte Macron, the first lady of France makes her first cameo appearance.

Nonetheless, in recent times, the demand for ‘inclusive language’ seems to be dying out as the new non-gendered spellings are difficult to comprehend and nearly impossible to utilize in day-to-day life. Consequently, it is impractical to implement as it further concerns safeguarding French linguistic heritage. On the other hand, over the years, incidentally many French have had problems with their language’s grammar and orthography because of the declining quality of education so introducing added difficulties is not likely to be a popular idea. Interestingly, though Brigitte Macron made her first cameo appearance in the episode dealing with the issue of gender-neutral language, in the French Senate, Emmanuel Macron has backed the law proposing banning the use of gender-neutral and gender-inclusive language in official communications. He urged the French public ‘not to give in to the tides of time’, indicating his reservations about the influence of the woke wave. He stated, “We need to allow this language to live, to draw inspiration from others, to steal words, including from the other side of the world (…), to continue to invent, but also to keep its foundations, the foundations of its grammar.”

Emerging Luxury Brands Economic Opportunities

The show serves as a dynamic platform for luxury brands, seamlessly integrating them into its narrative and offering these brands substantial exposure. Season 4 features luxury names such as AMI Paris, Boucheron, and Augustinus Bader as clients of the protagonist, Emily Cooper, who works at a French advertising agency. This strategic placement not only enhances the storyline but also provides these brands with access to a global audience. For example, Vestiaire Collective’s feature in Season 4 of Emily in Paris significantly increased its brand visibility and credibility. In the premiere episode, the character Emily introduces her friend Mindy to Vestiaire Collective as a solution to sell her designer clothes for extra income. Following the episode, Vestiaire Collective curated a collection inspired by the series. At the same time, Vestiaire Collective has gained over 22,000 followers since the episode premiered. Therefore, while the show certainly aims to portray La Vie en Rose a Paris, it has also provided mutually beneficial opportunities for the director/actors and the brands being publicized. 

Beyond advertising, Emily in Paris cement France’s position as a fashion capital by prominently featuring these luxury brands. The collaboration between the show and brands such as Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton strengthens the perception of French craftsmanship, ultimately portraying the country’s soft power.

Apart from this, Emily in Paris has played a significant role in promoting Paris as a dream destination. Since the show’s debut, there has been an increase in American tourists visiting Paris. A study by France’s National Centre of Cinematography revealed that one in ten tourists chose to visit Paris after watching a movie or TV series, with 38% of these tourists citing “Emily in Paris” as their primary motivation. This phenomenon is similar to the “Game of Thrones effect,” where filming locations saw a surge in tourism.

In conclusion, the global impact of Emily in Paris goes far beyond its entertainment value, as seen in its ability to spark political discourse, influence economic trends, and shape cultural perceptions. The show’s depiction of Paris has fueled debates on national identity, gender-neutral language, and workplace culture while simultaneously boosting tourism and luxury fashion industries. The competition between Paris and Rome over Emily’s next destination also highlights how cities leverage pop culture for tourism-driven economic gains.

Whether Emily stays in Paris or moves to Rome in its upcoming season remains a mystery, shows like Emily in Paris are introducing new ways of soft power promotion and cultural diplomacy that go beyond mere depiction of cultural heritage and provide a platform for economic activities, making it a perfect case study while discussing role of media in soft power projection of the country.