From TiboInShape to Mcfly & Carlito: influencers, the government's new communications weapon

How to reach the under 30, hyper connected but bored by the solemn points of the government on TV?

The executive has made a bet: to address young people via his favorite influencers, on all the fashionable social networks.

Latest example: Emmanuel Macron, who asked the duo of youtubers Mcfly & Carlito to design a video on respecting barrier gestures in the face of Covid-19, and to raise it to 10 million views.

If the mission is accomplished, the two troublemakers of the web will then have the right to shoot within the walls of the Elysée Palace, the President of the Republic promised.

On the form, the initiative seems new.

But it really isn't.

This is not the first time that the government has come face to face with influencers and their community.

In 2020, we saw the lifestyle and beauty influencer EnjoyPhoenix follow the former Secretary of State Brune Poirson for a day on YouTube, or the Minister for Gender Equality Elisabeth Moreno discussing with the influencer MyBetterSelf on menstrual insecurity.

The goal?

Relate the daily life of politicians through the more "realistic" prism of Youtubers' cameras, or confront the direct questions of younger communities, for which influencers take over.

A change of method after the controversy, in 2018, about the remuneration, by the government, of three young influencers (including the fitness specialist TiboInShape) to promote the National Universal Service on their platforms.

Gabriel Attal, government influencer

In times of pandemic, it is the government spokesperson, Gabriel Attal, who has been personally charged by the President of the Republic to manage government communication with young people, who follow less morning radio and TV shows, usual theaters of political communication.

With an Instagram account that brings together 67,000 subscribers - the most followed in the government - the former Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education and Youth, aged 31, was able to interact live with the influencer Juste Zoé (1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and Instagram), or the youtubers Swan and Néo (5.4 million subscribers).

School, baccalaureate, student precariousness… At the heart of conversations, the pandemic, and how it affects the daily lives of their young audience.

According to our information, influencers who participated in these discussions with members of the government were not paid for their participation.

On YouTube, Emmanuel Macron's recent choice for Mcfly & Carlito makes sense: the duo, specialist in unusual challenges and anecdote competitions, has more than 6 million subscribers and 1.3 billion views over its entire chain.

By calling for a spot designed by videographers on barrier gestures via their channel, the president is offering himself a high-impact awareness campaign.

The stake is first of all health: the situation of the country remains fragile, and the threat of a reconfinement is always felt.

But it is also social.

"Among young people, there is insecurity, moral isolation, is psychological," recalls Philippe Moreau Chevrolet, expert in political communication.

“It makes sense to address them, especially for fear of social movements given the dramatic situation facing students at the moment.

The objective is also to avoid clashes and disturbances, not to leave out a part of the population more likely to go out in the street than to stay at home.

"

Hard mission for influencers

But the question is also political.

By participating now in discussions with well-known influencers, the government is offering itself every chance of growing its own audience, on the eve of a presidential campaign which could, pandemic oblige, be played out especially online.

“Politicians often relaunch in digital when they enter the campaign.

This is the moment when they rediscover social networks, then afterwards, they forget ”, quips Philippe Moreau Chevrolet.

Mcfly & Carlito are also not fooled: "There are elections in a year", they recall in the video recounting their project.

As for influencers, whose profiles and content are rather depoliticized, the strategy is however likely to be poorly received.

Letting policies intervene on their platform could be seen as a kind of endorsement, or validation.

“They have everything to lose in this operation.

Doing politics, for an influencer, is seen as a betrayal of the public, knowing that the political world is extremely unpopular in France.

It is not in their best interest to participate.

It will cost them in terms of image and in terms of audience, ”worries Philippe Moreau Chevrolet.

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“Those who are going to do government after-sales service without recoil will find themselves trapped.

They can get away with it if they treat the relationship with politicians in good understanding, with a distance, if they are harsh.

"The creators of content" have a responsibility "in these steps, and" should not take lightly their association with political figures ", had already judged the youtubeur HugoDécrypte, specialized in the follow-up of the news, quoted in the World.

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The rule is clear: if they want to keep their audience, influencers who rub shoulders with politics, and especially government, will have to play the role, if only for a few hours, of unstoppable and seasoned interviewers.

Hard mission for creators rather accustomed to “feel good” content.

In their video published Friday, yououtubers Mcfly & Carlito, already know that their approach will be scrutinized and commented on from all sides - sometimes negatively.

"I even took the lead with members of my family," admits David Coscas ("Mcfly") facing the camera.

But videographers promise their subscribers: “We don't want to play politics, it's not our mission.

[…] You are not influenced in any way.

"They even allow themselves a recommendation, in addition to respecting barrier gestures:" Keep your critical mind.

"