• Can you tell us about your career path?

I got my first permanent position 2 years ago, in March 2020 at Glance, Médiamétrie's international department. Glance has access to all international audience data. Our analysts compile and process the data to provide insight into content and audiences for industry professionals. My role is to understand our customers' needs and to ensure the development and marketing of our studies and services.

• What are your responsibilities at Glance?

At Glance, I manage a portfolio of clients, all based in the USA, Canada or Latin America. This portfolio includes producers and distributors as well as TV channels and studios. And my work doesn't stop there, as I'm also involved in prospecting: in particular, I take part in international TV markets (MIPTV, MIPCOM) to promote our services. These tasks require me to keep constantly abreast of developments and trends in the TV markets for which I am responsible, in order to respond to our customers' new issues and adapt our offering.

• What drew you to this profession?

I've built up my career as I've gained experience. It hasn't been a straightforward path, but the customer approach has always been the guiding principle. 

When I entered ESSEC, I wanted to work in consumer marketing. With this in mind, I did my first internship as Market Research Assistant at Nielsen. This placement made me realise what I liked and what I wanted to find in my future jobs: a customer dimension and the world of data. I also realised that I wouldn't be working in the consumer goods sector. 

At the same time, in my 1st and 2nd years, I was part of the Musical association, where a number of students had joined the Media chair (or were planning to do so). I took a closer look and did an internship at Hill Valley, a product placement agency. This time, I had to be more creative: I was working on the design of partnerships between brands and films when they were released in cinemas - I was trying to create meaning, between the artistic vision of a film and the marketing strategy of a brand.

I then joined the Chair and did my end-of-studies internship with the New Business team at the Rosapark advertising agency (now Rosa Paris), to further develop the creative dimension that I had enjoyed at Hill Valley. This exciting internship gave me the opportunity to be at the heart of calls for tender, to take part in drawing up strategic recommendations and to write briefs and commercial proposals. 

Finally, it was thanks to the Chair and the Glance offer that I got my first job. Everything I was looking for was there: a customer approach, an international dimension, media and data. I'm very grateful to the Chair and to Judith for giving me this opportunity.

• With changes in the way traditional media (TV) are consumed, how can we adapt to measure audiences as accurately as possible? What are the latest innovations in audience measurement?

At the moment, the market is being turned upside down by digital and streaming. Linear TV measurement has a long history and is well established, with a benchmark institute in each country, recognised by all the players in the sector: Nielsen in the USA, Kantar in Latin America, Médiamétrie in France, etc.

With the arrival of streaming (Netflix, Amazon, Apple, etc.) comes the question of audience measurement for these platforms and their uses. These digital giants share very little of the data demanded by the market, and there are institutes that have developed alternative methods for capturing some of the consumption linked to streaming. 

At Glance, we are constantly keeping abreast of these alternative measures, which are now at the heart of our clients' issues. Although our historical business is based on linear measurement, we are committed to innovating and adapting to these changes.

In the USA, for example, customers are increasingly demanding data on SVOD and AVOD. However, innovations in audience measurement for AVOD and FAST channels are still in their infancy. As far as SVOD is concerned, we are offering more and more data on the subject, particularly through our partnerships. In the USA and the UK, for example, the institutes have developed a measurement similar to that for linear TV, but adapted to SVOD.

• Why have you chosen to focus on the international market and not the French one?

I like working with other nationalities to compare professional cultures. What's more, by working with the USA, I'm as close as possible to new TV trends and habits, because that's where most innovations come from. The closer you get, the more you can anticipate trends. My job also allows me to travel and carry out assignments abroad, around 3 or 4 times a year (outside the COVID period): I have to go to Los Angeles, New York, Cancun, etc.

• What drew you to the chair and what did you get out of it?

Firstly, from an academic point of view, the Chair has been the best thing I've done at ESSEC, between the conferences, the meetings with professionals and the courses. The Chair enabled me to discover a multitude of sectors, to develop expertise in the media and to learn how to make the link with digital. 

Secondly, the Chair has enabled me to meet people who are passionate about what they do. I met professionals and students who were full of plans and enthusiasm for the industry and its development, and it was a real pleasure to talk to all of them.

The people, the programme and the job I have at the moment: opportunities, memories and encounters thanks to this Chair!

• What's your best memory of the Chair?

It's hard to choose... The chair trip is still a key moment. I remember our visit to DreamWorks particularly well: we met a Frenchman who worked in animation and who showed us the different stages of animation for the film 'Dragons'. In particular, he explained the different stages involved in making an animated character: one team is responsible for making the characters' skin, another for their hair, bones, etc. His day-to-day life seemed so far removed from what we experienced at business school. I found it quite crazy and it really made an impression on me. I also loved going to the Cannes Film Festival - it's one of those moments when you think: "Wow, what am I doing here?

• What advice would you give to students in the Chair or those interested?

For people interested in the Chair: The selection process can be quite stressful, but it's important to remember that not having a specific career plan is not a barrier. What's important is to show that you're curious, motivated and keen to learn more about the sector, because the Chair is exactly what you need to develop. 

For students who have joined the Chair: make the most of this great experience and keep in touch with your fellow students!

• Any advice for those who don't know what they want to do when they leave ESSEC?

You have to remain open to all kinds of opportunities, you can't be afraid to have a fairly wide search perimeter. When I was looking for my first job, I was looking at quite different things (Tiktok, Deezer, Glance) and I was mainly looking at the tasks on offer. What makes a job interesting is not just the tasks, but also the working environment. I've had very different experiences during my placements but I don't regret it at all, on the contrary: it helped me to refine my search and find what I wanted.

What's important is the way you tell your story. My internship at Nielsen, for example, even though it was in consumer goods, helped me to join Glance. There will always be key points at each stage of your career that you can highlight. It doesn't matter if it's not the same sector, or the same assignments.

• What question would you have liked me to ask you?

As far as my memories of the Chair are concerned, I'd also like to come back to the research paper (subject: how are GAFAs bringing advertising and transactions together with social shopping?) From an academic point of view, the work on the dissertation was very interesting and structured. I worked in pairs, which went very well and remains one of the most enjoyable group projects I've ever done. Being coached by Judith and being able to meet professionals on a specific project was enriching and helped me to develop real expertise. What's more, being able to go to the TF1 offices to present my work was quite memorable. Finally, the fact that I'm graduating with a dissertation is pretty cool!