TRENDS group CEO interviewed in CB NEWS about his agency vision
Our CEO Jean-Baptiste Quesnay was interviewed by french CB NEWS to talk about the agency with some short questions. See the interview in french here.
CB News: In one sentence, what does Trends Paris do for brands?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: We’re a brand awareness marketing agency, boosting brands’ presence in the public’s mind through Press Relations, Influencer Relations, Branded Content, and Brand Strategy.
CB News: Why did you name your agency “Trends”?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: Historically, before becoming an agency, we were a fashion, art, and music magazine, TRENDS periodical, highly followed and referenced both in print at Colette and digitally. I’ve always believed that a communication agency’s role is to be deeply rooted in pop culture and to have an in-depth understanding of today’s cultural movements to anticipate tomorrow’s.
CB News: In the realm of PR and influence, what is your personal drive?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: It’s also a deep conviction that effective promotion relies on repeating a creative message through impactful channels. The editorial and creative lines of press and influencers enable this.
CB News: Since you founded Trends Paris in 2016, what has been the most challenging?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: Independence is a daily gift for freedom of action, but it can also be a hurdle to overcome, as each action demands more strength and dedication. My mother always told me, “slow and steady wins the race,” but sometimes, we want to be a high-speed train.
CB News: And the easiest?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: Everything is easy with a lot of hard work and belief in one’s vision and the life one is building.
CB News: For creation, what are your sources of inspiration?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: We are historically closely linked to fashion, music, art, and all that encompasses visual and creative aspects and their impact on society. More broadly, I have always been a lover of the most creative brands and campaigns.
CB News: AI, for you, is it a competitor, collaborator, or tool?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: When someone says AI will replace us, I say, before cars, there were horse carriages. It’s an evolution that allows us to move faster and offers incredible opportunities, especially in terms of branded content.
CB News: What is or will be the main contribution of AI to your profession?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: There will be a significant change, especially in terms of content creation. AI enhances creativity through words; today’s copywriters are tomorrow’s art directors. We are very interested in this subject for the future development of the group.
CB News: The client project you are most proud of?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: We are very proud to see clients stay for years, regardless of size and scope. We created the leather goods brand PÖ&ME Paris from scratch with its founders 7 years ago, we’ve been working with Puma for 6 years, Zalando for 4 years… These are beautiful stories. What makes us proud is seeing that our actions have meaning.
CB News: Three conditions for a successful client project?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: Passion, data, and ideas.
CB News: An operation by one of your competitors that you would have liked to do?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: We don’t look much at the PR and Influencer market as a reference; we like to think of ourselves as a hybrid agency, and our models are either creatively oriented agencies or those deeply rooted in culture.
CB News: What makes a good client for you?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: A client who enjoys the process! And who understands that the role of the agency is to be the best teammate individually – for their career – and collectively – for their brand.
CB News: The brand you would like to work for?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: Our own! We want to develop the agency’s branding. For 8 years, we’ve been focused on the job at hand, and it’s time for us to communicate about the agency to be able to bring even more to our clients.
CB News: A project underway for 2024?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: After Paris in 2016 and Tokyo in 2022, we are opening an agency in Dubai this year. The United Arab Emirates is an extremely dynamic, international, multicultural, future-oriented market. It’s very exciting for us, as a young independent agency, to tackle a third market.
CB News: Ideally, how do you see the agency in 10 years?
Jean-Baptiste Quesnay: With the same desire and energy, the same certainties, the same self-reflection that allows us to anticipate the market and reinvent ourselves. We want to continue loving our profession.
