How did the project come to be ?

Despite the fact that French food culture is very well known, it does not always have a dynamic, modern image around the world.
Faced with stiff global competition, the French food model is sometimes disputed, thus adding to France’s so-called “image deficit” and requiring a collective response from all of the various ministries concerned. In this context, Sopexa was asked to launch the first “Apéritifs à la française” in 2004.

Why the Apéritif à la française ?

The aperitif is a well-known ritual of French-style “art de vivre”, a special time for discussion and festivity. It provides a simple, informal way to enjoy a broad variety of foods, enabling us to highlight a wide range of French products : breads, dairy products, cheeses, deli products, meat products, cookies and cakes, cold meats, foie gras, seafood, fruits, vegetables, champagne, wines, spirits, other soft drinks (juices, ciders, water, lemonade and more) and give people around the globe an opportunity to re-discover and share French food culture.

Aims

To highlight the wide variety of French products and focus on their simplicity in order to convince consumers that they are accessible in an atmosphere that is festive and modern.

The Apéritif à la française is...

A yearly worldwide date with the delicious on the first Thursday of June.

13 countries and 17 cities in 2004

21 countries and 31 cities in 2005

19 countries and 28 cities in 2006

A full advertising and communication programme with 3 main parts :

1. An evening party in an emblematic or fashionable place attended by journalists, agribusiness professionals, consumers and opinion leaders.
2. Promotions and special events in major French (CARREFOUR, AUCHAN, CORA) or local (TESCO) supermarket chains in the country, as well as at trendy restaurants, wine merchants, retailers or delicatessens.
3. A media campaign targeting the general public and industry professionals (TV, radio, posters, Internet, daily press, magazines and more).

1. An evening party in an emblematic or fashionable place attended by journalists, agribusiness professionals, consumers and opinion leaders.
2. Promotions and special events in major French (CARREFOUR, AUCHAN, CORA) or local (TESCO) supermarket chains in the country, as well as at trendy restaurants, wine merchants, retailers or delicatessens.
3. A media campaign targeting the general public and industry professionals (TV, radio, posters, Internet, daily press, magazines and more).

24 countries and 36 cities in 2007

In Europe

• Germany (Cologne)
• Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia)
• Greece (Athens)
• Hungary (Budapest)
• Ireland (Dublin)
• Italy (Milan)
• Poland (Warsaw)
• Portugal (Lisbon)
• Czech Republic (Prague)
• United Kingdom (London)
• Russia (St. Petersburg)
• Sweden (Stockholm)
• Switzerland (Zurich)

 In America

In Asia and middle-East